Reality Check
by Gryffindor-Gal79
Summary: COMPLETE This is what would happen if Harry's letters had stopped, if he had a friend when Dudley picked on him. He does make it to Hogwarts! Chapter 21, the final chapter.
1. The First Letter

Reality Check  
  
~* This is my idea of a story if Harry Potter hadn't gone to Hogwarts. If his letters had stopped. If Hagrid hadn't come to rescue him from the Dursleys, and what if Harry Potter had a friend? This is Harry Potter's "Normal Life" - as normal as it gets when you're a boy with a destiny. *~  
  
Chapter 1 ~ The First Letter  
  
Caprice Jenkins was a nine year old girl, who had long, extremely straight, light brown hair, light blue eyes, and glasses. She was very skinny, and short. Her nose was small, and slightly turned up at the tip. Her skin was pale and spotless, and she was an all round nice girl.  
  
Caprice had a real best friend, you know, one of those rare "always around, lovable, fun, loves you no matter what, best friend" friends. His name was Harry Potter. He was skinny, slightly taller than Caprice, with untameable jet black hair and green eyes. Harry also had glasses. Harry had a cousin, who was the same age as Caprice and Harry. His name was Dudley Dursley. Harry had gone to live with the Dursleys when his parents died in a car crash when Harry was just a baby.  
  
Dudley ensured that Harry and Caprice had no friends but themselves. Harry's large bellied cousin was the leader of a tough gang, and anyone who defied that gang was badly beaten at lunch time. Dudley and his gang couldn't really bash a girl for hanging around Harry, so they made Caprice an outcast too.  
  
Caprice had never been to Harry's Aunt and Uncle's house, and she didn't want to, but Harry was at her house all the time. He said that Vernon and Petunia didn't care where he was as long as he wasn't in their sight. Caprice thought this was very sad.  
  
It was the beginning of Harry and Caprice's last term in their fourth and final year at Primary School, and Caprice supposed that this term would be very much alike to the previous terms: being bullied and isolated by Dudley and his gang. The teachers had never done anything before, Caprice strongly suspected they were also scared of Dudley and his gang, and the pair of friends had absolutely no reason to believe that this term would be any different.  
  
Caprice was waiting in her normal spot sitting on the large, stone steps leading up to Princewald Elementary, waiting for Harry to arrive with the Dursleys. She didn't like waiting by herself for Harry in the morning, because she was tormented for her glasses, and no one ever came and stuck up for her. Caprice was only thankful that she had Harry, and didn't know what she'd so without him.  
  
So there she sat, on the second stair from the top, awaiting for Harry's arrival. She knew he'd always he at school, without fail, because the Dursleys would never let him stay home in fear that he'd damage their house somehow. Caprice couldn't see how a small boy such as Harry would be able to do anything to damage a house, or things in it. He just wasn't that sort of person. Caprice was the only person who really knew Harry. She knew that he was kind, courageous, and fun to be around. It saddened her that no one else saw Harry the way she did.  
  
Caprice watched the cars come and go, dropping off more students, who, in turn, taunted Caprice about her glasses, or that she had no friends. They liked to pretend that Harry didn't exist, and that she simply made him up. At last, the Dursley's car pulled up in front of Princewald Elementary. Dudley stepped out as elegantly as was possible for a boy of his size, while Harry was practically thrown out by Vernon Dursley. He fell onto the hard concrete, and jumped up before his beefy uncle could do anything else nasty to him.  
  
Harry ran up the stone steps and grabbed Caprice by her arm.  
  
'Come on Caprice, Dudley's in a beating up mood!' He said in a small voice, and Caprice ran into the large school, following Harry.  
  
The two best friends ran through the first floor, up the stairs leading to the second floor, and into an empty, unused classroom which they had discovered the previous term. It had been locked, but somehow Harry had managed to unlock it, just by willing it to unlock, when they were being chased by Dudley and his gang.  
  
Caprice particularly hated Piers Polkiss, as he was not worried about harming a girl. Piers would always give her noogies, and trip her over in the hall when possible. He also liked to push her into the walls, which were brick, and this would cause bruises to appear on her delicate skin.  
  
Harry also hated Piers. He was a fast runner, and almost always caught up to Harry, and held him down while Dudley caught up, and beat him. Piers sometimes even dunked Harry's head in the toilet and flushed. This was particularly painful and embarrassing.  
  
Harry and Caprice, panting and out of breath, sat down with their backs against the wall, and their legs straight against the cold floor.  
  
'Hey Harry, look around.' Caprice said. She had noticed that some work had been done on their private classroom over the holidays. The walls had been cleaned up of their usual graffiti, there was a new blackboard, brand new desks, the old ones had all been broken and drawn over, the broken windows had been repaired, and so had the broken floorboards. There was a new teachers desk at the front of the classroom, and it looked as if the school was planning on using this classroom the upcoming term.  
  
'Oh no!' Harry said, looking around at the improvements on the classroom, which clearly meant that himself and Caprice would no longer be able to hide in this classroom to escape Dudley and his gang.  
  
'Don't worry Harry, it's only for one more term.' Caprice said softly. 'Next year we're off to Stonewall High, and we'll be able to start a fresh. New people, and no Dudley.' She smiled, and punched Harry on the arm playfully.  
  
'I thought you were going to St. Margaret's All Girls Boarding School next year?' Harry asked, surprised. Caprice blinked her large, blue eyes behind her small glasses a few times.  
  
'Did you really think that I'd let you go to Stonewall High all by yourself with no one to keep you company? I'm just glad that the Dursleys aren't sending you to Smeltings.' Caprice said. 'That's an all boys school, and I wouldn't have been able to go with you there.' Harry smiled, he didn't want to go to Smeltings anyway, their uniform was terrible!  
  
'You might have had to dress up like a boy!' Harry said, and jumped up before Caprice had time to hit him. She chased him around the room, until Harry knocked over a china vase, and it smashed. The two friends froze, and stared, wide eyed, at the broken vase lying on the floor. Caprice gulped.  
  
'Oops.' She said meekly, in a tiny voice. Harry grabbed her by the arm and led her out of the classroom.  
  
'Let's get out of here Caprice! We can't hide out in here anymore, they'll know it was us who broke the vase if we come back.' Harry said, in almost a brotherly way, and the two stepped outside the classroom  
  
This is as good as it gets, Harry thought, and sighed. His life had been complete misery up until the day he had met Caprice. As they were walking throughout the second floor, Harry remembered the glorious day he had met his best friend.  
  
It had been a Wednesday afternoon, the previous year, quite near to the start of the year actually. Wednesday afternoon at Princewald Elementary always meant sport, and to Harry, it always meant being chosen last for the teams, or not chosen at all.  
  
That particular afternoon, Harry's grade were playing soccer, and the captains of the two teams were none other than Dudley and Piers. Seeing as the teams were mixed, all the boys were chosen first, except for Harry. He was left standing around with the girls, while Dudley and Piers argued over who got which girl. They were all duds in Dudley and Piers's opinions.  
  
After most of the girls had finally been chosen, there were two people left over. One was Harry, and the other was Caprice. She had not been picked because of her small, scrawny physic, and glasses. Caprice had looked at Harry warmly, and she had actually smiled at him. The first person ever at the school to smile at Harry, or even acknowledge his existence. He remembered looking over his shoulder, and when he saw no one there, he smiled and waved at Caprice.  
  
Harry remembered what Dudley had said at that very moment:  
  
'Harry's got a girlfriend!' He had taunted, pointing and laughing at Harry. At that stage of their lives, boys didn't like going near girls, and the very thought of having a girlfriend was frowned apon in the playground. Everyone around them had pointed and laughed. Harry had felt himself go red, and he noticed that Caprice had gone the same shade of red.  
  
Both of them had turned and ran at the exact same moment, heading in the exact same direction as each other. Neither of them had known that the other was going to run, and had both admitted to being embarrassed.  
  
After that, they had been the best of friends, inseparable. Both social outcasts, frowned apon by the entire school for being friends. At that age boys and girls simply weren't allowed to be friends. It was a well known rule. But Harry and Caprice didn't care about what other people thought of them. If they were going to be social outcasts, they might as well be social outcasts together.  
  
Caprice snapped Harry out of his thoughts at that moment.  
  
'Harry, would you mind terribly if I came to your Aunt and Uncle's house this afternoon for a while? I mean, I haven't been there ever, and it would be nice if I visited.' Caprice said.  
  
'Visited what? My Cupboard under the stairs? I don't even think it's properly mine, I think Vernon still claims it as his.' Harry grumbled, slightly embarrassed over his living situation.  
  
'Oh come on Harry, don't be a sour lemon.' Caprice pouted, and she stopped in her tracks, folding her arms across her chest refusing to budge until Harry gave her a decent answer.  
  
'I'm not being a sour lemon, Cap, but I really don't think that Vernon and Petunia would allow you in their house.' Harry said, trying to comfort his best friend.  
  
'So? I'll just say I'm a friend of Dudley.' She shuddered slightly at the thought of being friends with a monstrous boy such as Dudley.  
  
'You would do that for me?' Harry asked, staring at his best friend in awe. He wondered why she desperately wanted to spend time at his Aunt and Uncle's house. All Harry had was a dirty cupboard under the stairs, which wasn't much to be proud of, mind you.  
  
'Of corse I would do that for you Harry. I would do almost anything for you silly!' Caprice said playfully.  
  
'I bet you wouldn't.' Harry said stubbornly.  
  
'Oh yeah? What would you bet?' Caprice said, rising to the challenge.  
  
'Ten pence.' Harry said smugly. Caprice's eyes widened.  
  
'You're on buster!' She said daringly, and shook his outstretched hand.  
  
'Okay, I bet you wouldn't kiss Dudley to get me out of being beaten up.' Harry said, thinking he had his best friend up against a wall, and she'd never agree to something as disgusting as to kiss that fat whale of a cousin he had. Caprice's mouth dropped open and her eyes bulged, however, she was smart, and quickly gathered herself.  
  
'You're on.' She said proudly, wincing inside. Harry burst out laughing. 'What's so funny?' Caprice asked, and then added under her breath, 'Apart from the obvious.'  
  
'You're going to give Dudley COOTIES!' Harry continued to laugh really hard, so hard that he clutched his sides to stop them from hurting too badly. Caprice stuck her nose in the air.  
  
'I do not have cooties!' She said.  
  
'Yes you do!' Harry laughed some more. 'There's one right there! Crawling on your nose.' He said, and tweaked Caprice's nose, before sprinting down the hall.  
  
'You get back here Harry James Potter!' Caprice screeched down the hall after him, but she need not have wasted her voice, because at that moment, Harry came running back down the hall, closely followed by Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon, all of whom could run without breaking much of a sweat. Harry ran up to Caprice, and hid behind her, whispering,  
  
'Remember what you just said.' Caprice got very worried. She shook slightly as Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon stopped in front of her. Caprice looked nervously over her shoulder, hoping that a teacher would come along, but no such luck. The four large boys just stood there, looking at Caprice.  
  
A few minutes later, Caprice and Harry saw what the four boys were waiting for. Dudley came trumping around the corner. As he ran, well, put one foot in front of the other at a faster speed than usual, his large belly jumped up and down. Caprice began to shake badly at the mere thought of going anywhere near Dudley, let alone kissing him.  
  
'Oh, Caprice, don't worry about kissing Dudley, that was just a joke! Come on, let's get out of here!' Harry said, tugging on Caprice's shirt. She nodded slightly, so that Dudley's four buddies wouldn't see her.  
  
Harry put one finger lightly on her back. Two fingers, and just as Dudley was about to get to them, three fingers. Harry and Caprice turned and bolted around the corner, and down the stairs.  
  
~***~  
  
That afternoon, Harry and Caprice decided to walk home together, as they did most afternoons. Vernon and Petunia had no objection to this whatsoever. Vernon had actually been quite happy to let Harry walk home. 'Won't damage the car.' He had chuckled.  
  
'Well Harry, are we going back to your place?' Caprice asked carelessly. Harry stopped and looked at her.  
  
'Are you joking? After today? No way!' He said, refusing to let her go to his Aunt and Uncle's house.  
  
'So? Just because Dudley got a few punches to you, and shoved me up against a wall, doesn't mean I'm afraid of him. Besides, from what you've told me about your aunt and uncle, he wouldn't dare do anything while he's around them.' Caprice said, putting her hands on her hips.  
  
'Oh fine. But if Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kick you out of their house, you mustn't blame me, okay?' Harry said eventually, giving in to his best friend's puppy dog eyes.  
  
'Yay! Thanks Harry, you're the best!' Caprice said, and skipped happily along beside Harry as he walked towards his aunt and uncle's house.  
  
'I wouldn't have thought you would be so pleased to see my aunt and uncle's house. It's so boring and plain, most of the time I have nothing to do.' Harry said dully. Caprice put on a pouty face, and did an over exaggerated impersonation of Harry being a sour lemon. She slouched her shoulders over and walked like a frog, making sure her head bobbed out like a fish. Harry couldn't prevent himself from laughing, which made Caprice laugh as well.  
  
'I want to see your famous cupboard, Harry.' Caprice said. 'Maybe I can give it a "Woman's Touch".' She said "Woman's Touch" in such an elegant voice. While saying it, she put one hand over her heart and looked aimlessly into the sky. Harry laughed again. He loved the way Caprice was always able to make her laugh.  
  
~***~  
  
When Harry and Caprice reached the Dursleys house, they were greeted with quite an unpleasant surprise; Petunia Dursley's high pitched scream, and they hadn't even walked in the door yet! Harry turned the door knob as quietly as possible, and the two friends slipped inside.  
  
All three Dursleys were in the kitchen, crowded around what appeared to be a letter, in Vernon's hands. Harry's uncle had gone purple in the face, his aunt was shaking, and biting her nails, while Dudley simply looked confused, as he did most days.  
  
'You'd better wait here.' Harry whispered to Caprice. 'You don't know their temper.' Caprice obeyed Harry, and sat on the staircase, hoping to hear every word uttered in the kitchen.  
  
Harry walked into the kitchen, and almost immediately, his aunt and uncle froze, and gave him shaky looks. Dudley looked back and forth from his parents, to Harry.  
  
'Dudley Diddykins, you'd better head up to your room sweetie, we don't want you involved in this.' Petunia said, in a shaky, but still sickly sweet voice. Dudley screwed up his face and started pretending to sob wildly.  
  
'But - But I want to stay in here!' He wailed, pretending to cry. Vernon got quite annoyed at this, he obviously wasn't in any mood for one of Dudley's frequent tantrums.  
  
'Now son, up to your room like a good boy.' He said sternly, and wouldn't speak another word until his large son was out of the picture.  
  
Harry looked just as puzzled as Dudley had, and he silently hoped Dudley hadn't come across Caprice on his was up to his bedroom. Although, Harry suspected that Dudley was right outside the door, listening in to the conversation which was about to break loose. Harry wondered what the letter was about, but he had a feeling it wasn't good. Perhaps it was from the school?  
  
'You, boy.' Vernon said from beyond his bushy, prickly moustache. Harry didn't like his tone of voice one little bit. 'What school are you planning on attending next school year?' He said finally. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, but only a small one.  
  
'Um, Stonewall High I guess.' Harry replied nervously, hoping that he had said what Vernon wanted to hear.  
  
'Good. You remember that.' Vernon said, seeming satisfied. He shooed Harry away with a beefy hand.  
  
'What was that letter all about?' Harry asked before leaving. He immediately wished he hadn't said anything, because Vernon's face went a nice shade of purple.  
  
'That, boy, is none of your business. Now get out of my sight before you have a week in your cupboard with no meals.' Harry's beefy uncle said, looking very much like he was a kettle and about to boil over. Harry quickly left the kitchen.  
  
As he'd expected, Dudley was waiting outside the door of the kitchen. He pushed past Harry rudely, and stepped into the kitchen. Harry spotted Caprice sitting on the bottom stair. He was amazed that Dudley didn't see her, sitting right in plain view, but then, Dudley was pretty stupid.  
  
'What was that all about?' Caprice asked Harry as he came over to her. Harry sat down on the step that his best friend was sitting on, and looked at her.  
  
'I really don't know. I think I might have had an invitation to a school or something?' Harry wondered out loud. Caprice smiled slyly.  
  
'Maybe it was your acceptance letter from St. Margaret's All Girls Boarding School!' She said cheekily, and Harry swatted her on the arm with his hand. They both laughed, causing the three Dursleys to come rushing out of the kitchen.  
  
'What are you doing here?' Dudley said, immediately pounding one fist into his other hand, as if threatening Caprice to get off his turf.  
  
'Who the devil are you?' Vernon said, looking at Caprice.  
  
'I am Harry's friend, Caprice.' Caprice said, introducing herself. Petunia looked down at her like she had a mud gloop on her face or something like that.  
  
'Don't you bring riff raff like that into our house ever again, do you hear me boy?' Vernon yelled angrily at Harry. 'Get in your cupboard.' He barked, pointing to Harry's cupboard. Caprice looked at the Dursleys wide eyed as Harry slouched into his cupboard.  
  
'You don't need an invitation to leave, do you? There's the door.' Petunia said nastily to Caprice, and pointed at the Dursley's front door. Without a second thought, Caprice was out the door quicker than a flash.  
  
Dudley banged on Harry's cupboard door.  
  
'If you ever bring that bitch here again I'll throw you off the top of the school.' Dudley said threateningly. Harry cowered in the corner of his cupboard. 'And you'll be the one to break her fall.' Dudley said, and walked up the stairs rather hardly, causing lots of dust to fall on top of Harry.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* That's my attempt at chapter one. Don't worry, Harry does get some association with magical people. I have it all planned out, a hint: Dumbledore does come looking for Harry! What do you think? Do I have something going here? *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	2. More Letters

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey everyone, thanks so much to my first 7 reviews; fantangal, radarPLO, Catherinewei, kkroxyea, October Potter-Snape, Dark Lulu, Harry-Potter5972, and The anything girl! Here's the second chapter. *~  
  
Chapter 2 ~ More Letters  
  
Harry and Caprice were sitting in their classroom, trying to think of creative things that could have been in the letter which made the Dursleys upset. Harry knew that they wouldn't get all upset about a regular school acceptance form, so it had to have been something out of the ordinary. The Dursleys liked nothing abnormal. They simply wouldn't stand for any nonsense under their roof, as Harry knew from quite an amount of strange things happening to him over the years. Like the time his Aunt Petunia sheared his hair off except for his fringe, leaving him looking like he had been to one of those trainee hairdressers. All night he was dreading coming to school, but miraculously, his hair had grown back by the next morning. The Dursleys had been furious with him over the incident, and he had gotten a week in his cupboard, even though he didn't know how his hair could have grown back so fast.  
  
'Maybe I got accepted into Superman School?' Harry wondered out loud. 'Man that would be so cool! I could fly around wearing a red cape, and save the world every day!' Harry imagined himself flying, and strangely, the idea didn't seem that ridiculous.  
  
'I bet it was a bunch of Fairies writing to you, saying that you have to be shrunk down to their size and be their Fairy King. You'd grow wings and fly around, ruling all the little Fairies.' Caprice said dreamily. Harry looked horrified at the mere thought of being a Fairy King.  
  
'Caprice, you're too much of a girly girl.' Harry teased. Caprice folded her arms and pouted.  
  
'I could beat you at anything Harry James Potter.' She said matter-of- factly, emphasising his name, as she did when she was pretending to be angry at him.  
  
'Yeah right, you're just a weak little girl!' Harry said playfully, not meaning a word of what he had just said. He considered Caprice a strong minded person who never gave up on anything. She was wonderful.  
  
'I'll race you right now!' Caprice said, her voice raised from the whisper- tone of which they were talking in. Harry hushed her quickly, putting a finger to his lips, and hoped that Mrs Palmer hadn't heard her.  
  
'Not now -' Harry began, but was cut off by his impatient friend.  
  
'Now. Or are you chicken?' Caprice said slyly, knowing this would get a definite reaction from Harry. He hated being called a chicken, Dudley had taunted him with this name his entire life for as long as he could remember, and he did not like the name. Harry stood up.  
  
'Lets go.' Harry said, and pulled Caprice out of her seat. Mrs Palmer snapped her head over to where the two friends sat, isolated from the rest of the class.  
  
'Where do you think you two are going?' The aging teacher asked in a stern voice. Harry simply looked at her and replied;  
  
'We're going outside for a while Miss, we won't be too long, just a simple race around the oval. That's all.' Harry moved towards the door, and Caprice giggled, but followed him.  
  
'Not during my class time you're not.' The teacher said, with an even more stern voice than last time she had spoken. 'You will go back to your seats and stay there until the bell rings for lunch time. However, you will not be going to lunch, you will be staying here to clean the classroom.' She continued. Harry looked shocked. Caprice went to sit down, giving in, but Harry wouldn't let her. He grabbed her arm gently, and led her back over to the classroom door.  
  
'Sorry Miss, this is rather urgent, and we won't be staying here. We also won't be joining you for lunch, as we have other plans.' Harry said bravely, without a stutter. Caprice shivered slightly next to Harry at the look on Mrs Palmer's face.  
  
'Sit down Mr Potter and Miss Jenkins.' She barked, being completely serious.  
  
'No!' Harry said, with a small waver in his voice, but he refused to sit down, and refused to let Caprice sit down either.  
  
'Harry, we shouldn't cause more trouble than we already have.' Caprice whispered to Harry, her voice slightly fearful.  
  
'Sit down cousin, or father will be hearing about this.' Dudley said in a bossy voice. Harry gave him a mean look, and went out the classroom door, pulling Caprice out behind him. Most of the class gasped, finding the concept of Harry and Caprice leaving the classroom rather hard to grasp.  
  
'Come on Caprice, how about that race?' Harry said, pulling his friend away from the closed classroom door. Caprice looked at Harry with a wild glint in her eye.  
  
'That was fun! What got into you Harry?' She said. 'Never mind, that was just fun! Come on, let's race to the oval!' Caprice said and took off down one corridor. Harry went the opposite way, knowing of a shortcut down the fire escape. He had discovered the small ladder outside the fifth floor window three years back, when he was being chased by Dudley. Back then, Dudley could still run with a small amount of speed. These days he ran about as fast as a snail.  
  
Harry dropped down from the bottom of the fire escape rickety ladder, and began counting patiently in his head. He was up to about thirty six when Caprice came running, red faced, around the corner, and almost bumped into Harry. To avoid doing so, she skidded, and slipped over in a flailing mass of limbs.  
  
'Ahhhh!' Caprice screamed gleefully. 'This is so much fun! Let's race around the oval!' The small girl jumped to her feet in a fit of laughter, and took off, running as fast as she could around the oval. Harry scowled playfully, and chased after her.  
  
'I'm going to get you Caprice!' Harry yelled out to her. She turned her head to see Harry sprinting up on the inside lane of the tracks Caprice was running on. She burst out laughing and rolled over on the ground, where she lay and laughed some more. Harry caught up to her, and sprawled himself out next to her on the green grass of Princewald Elementary. Caprice sighed.  
  
'We're probably going to get in a lot of trouble for this.' She said. Harry looked a bit surprised, he had never seen his friend be so serious.  
  
'What? Don't you like having fun?' Harry teased with a large, goofy grin plastered over his face. Caprice tried to twist her leg around to playfully kick Harry, but she ended up in a tangled mess, and just laughed some more.  
  
Harry got up, and helped his twisted friend to her feet.  
  
'You know, you'd be very good at Twister.' Harry mused, seeing how flexible Caprice was. She grinned playfully.  
  
'You'd be surprised Harry Potter!' She said, kicking his knee out so that his leg bent, and he fell flat on his face. She ran around Harry chanting: 'Harry fell on his face, Harry fell on his face.' In a sing-song, whiney tone of voice. Harry grabbed Caprice's leg and pulled her over, where she began giggling frantically.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry thought that day would never end, but Caprice and himself got off that time with a warning, and a phone call to their parents. Well, to Caprice's parents, and to the Dursleys. Harry didn't mind. He knew the Dursleys wouldn't care, as long as he did nothing abnormal. He wondered why they were so plain? So boring? Maybe it had something to do with his mother. Petunia never really did like her sister much. Perhaps Harry's mother was into some Celtic thing?  
  
On their way home to Harry's house, Caprice tripped over and fell flat on her face, scraping her knee and elbows.  
  
'Owwwwww!' Caprice wailed and started crying. Harry had never seen his best friend cry before, so he knelt down beside her and tried to calm her down.  
  
'Come on Caprice, the Dursley's house is only a few more blocks away. I'll get those scrapes cleaned up nice and good.' Harry said, helping her to her feet.  
  
The whole three blocks to the Dursleys house, Caprice was crying and sobbing over her injuries. Her elbows and knee were bleeding quite badly, as she had hit the cement pretty hard.  
  
When they got to the Dursleys house, neither Vernon, Petunia or Dudley were home. Harry helped Caprice into the kitchen, so that they wouldn't have to go upstairs to the bathroom.  
  
'Ouch ouch OUCH! It hurts! It hurts!' Caprice wailed, screwing her face up. Harry brought her leg up into the sink and poured cold water over her knee. Caprice screamed.  
  
'Oh, please don't scream Caprice!' Harry said desperately. Caprice reduced her scream into small whimpers. 'Wait here, I'll be right back.' Harry said, and dashed out of the kitchen, up the stairs and into the bathroom. He returned to the kitchen carrying a large box of bandaids in his hand.  
  
'Here, put all these on.' Harry said, handing Caprice some bandaids. Caprice looked at Harry strangely, but started putting bandaids on her knee. 'I'm just going to get the mail. The Dursleys will probably want me to.' Harry went out into the hall.  
  
Lying on the ground, pushed through the slot, was a pile of letters. Harry picked up the pile, and flipped through them. Most letters were bills, or addressed to Vernon and Petunia, but at the bottom of the pile, there were three letters addressed to him. Harry Potter. He had letters! All three letters said the same thing:  
  
Mr H. Potter  
The Cupboard Under The Stairs  
4 Privet Drive  
Little Whinging  
Surrey  
  
The envelopes were thick and heave, each made out of a yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp. Harry turned one of the envelopes over, his hand shaking. He saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter "H".  
  
It was at that moment, that Vernon burst through the front door. He took one look at Harry and the letters, went white, and snatched the three letters off Harry. Harry scowled.  
  
'Give those back! They're my letters!' Harry said, trying to keep calm, however, it appeared Vernon Dursley had other plans for those letters. He pushed Harry back and went into the kitchen. Harry cringed waiting for the reaction. Sure enough, there was a loud bellow, and Harry heard Vernon scream.  
  
'OUT! Get out of my house girl!' Harry watched as Caprice half ran half limped out the front door, waving a quick goodbye to Harry as she left.  
  
'Bye Caprice.' Harry called after his friend, who was getting away from that house as quickly as possible. Petunia pushed past Harry as she walked into the house. Harry noticed her nose was in the air, and she was looking particularly snooty. Dudley was no where to be seen.  
  
'Get in here boy and clean up my kitchen!' Vernon bellowed.  
  
~***~  
  
The next day at school, Caprice was sitting on the steps waiting for Harry in her usual spot. She looked rather bandaged, but was chirpy again, as she normally was. She watched as the Dursley's red car pulled up outside the school. Dudley and Harry got out of the car, and it drove off quickly.  
  
Harry walked up the stairs and sat next to Caprice.  
  
'Are you okay?' He asked his friend. She nodded happily. 'Sorry about the Dursleys.' Harry continued.  
  
'It's okay! I don't like them anyway.' Caprice said. Harry quickly told her about the three letters which Vernon had stolen off Harry.  
  
'Really? Why would he take your letters? I mean, weren't they addressed to you? How mean!' Caprice said, clearly outraged.  
  
'Yeah.' Harry said sadly, he wanted to know what was in those three letters, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Vernon Dursley had burnt the letters right in front of Harry in the lounge room.  
  
'I would have socked him one!' Caprice said, jumping to her feet and pretending to punch an invisible Dursley. Harry laughed at this.  
  
'You versus Vernon Dursley, hmmm.' Harry said, pretending to think about who would win in that fight. 'In the red corner, we have the favourite, Caprice Jenkins! And in the blue corner, we have the dork, Vernon Dursley!' Harry said, and burst out laughing. Caprice joined him in laughter.  
  
'My parents were so mad at me when I got home yesterday.' Caprice said. Harry looked at her strangely.  
  
'Why?' He asked.  
  
'Duh silly, because of what we did yesterday! You remember, the school called my parents and the Dursleys because we cut class?' Caprice said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
'Oh yeah.' Harry said, suddenly remembering his charade with Caprice the previous day, causing them to get in trouble.  
  
'Come on Harry, let's go into class.' Caprice said, hearing the bell ring. 'If I get into any more trouble, I'll be grounded for a whole week!' She added.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* There's the second chapter! Sorry for the wait, but I kept getting sidetracked with this chapter. Oh and I don't think it's as long as the last one, but hey. Please review guys! *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	3. Strange Behavior

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey! Thanks to storm101, scholcomp25, radarPLO, Harry-Potter5972 and cant b bothered for reviews on my second chapter! I actually hadn't thought about making Caprice a witch, but now that you mention it, might not be such a bad idea! *~  
  
Chapter 3 ~ Strange Behaviour  
  
Harry was sitting in his cupboard under the stairs, when he heard the phone ring. He knew better than to get excited, because he never got phone calls, not even from Caprice. She was too sensible to call him at the Dursleys house. Harry heard Vernon Dursley pick up the phone and talk into it. Harry could always hear his Uncle Vernon, as the man had such a loud voice.  
  
'Hello?' Dursley shouted into the phone, but in a nice enough voice incase it was someone important, or snoopy. There was a long pause, in which Harry got really worried. 'THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!' He screamed into the phone, holding it away from his ear, proceeding to slam the phone down. His face was bright purple.  
  
Harry was rather scared. He heard Vernon's large footsteps clunking down the hall to his cupboard. He crawled up into a corner, and cringed, brushing a spider off his shoulder. Harry was used to spiders, as the cupboard under the stairs was full of them.  
  
'GET OUT HERE BOY!' Vernon screamed from the living room, where he was standing away from the breakables in the Dursley house. Harry trudged cautiously out into the living room, to face a red faced uncle, who wasn't looking too impressed.  
  
'What did I do this time?' Harry asked timidly, which only made Vernon angrier.  
  
'You will NEVER give out this number again, do you hear? You will go straight to bed without any supper, and if that girl ever phone's here again, there'll be trouble.' Vernon yelled, and motioned angrily for Harry to get lost.  
  
As Harry wandered back into his cupboard, he wondered who had called him. It couldn't have been Caprice, because she didn't know the Dursley's number, or did she? Harry continued to wonder who it was that called.  
  
~***~  
  
The next morning, Harry was woken at the usual time, 6am, by the usual method: Aunt Petunia's knuckles wrapping on the door to his cupboard.  
  
'Up! Get up!' She screeched through the flap on the door. As Harry scrambled out of his bed, he heard her footsteps leaving, and going into the kitchen. Harry closely followed his Aunt into the kitchen.  
  
'Boy, pack your things.' Vernon said. He was sitting at the breakfast table holding a letter. 'You're moving into Dudley's spare bedroom.' The beefy man continued. The look on Dudley's face was most certainly a Kodak (A/N - Kodak is a camera) moment.  
  
'Father! You can't give him my room! I need it to keep all my toys!' Dudley's face scrunched up, and he went extremely red faced and puffy eyed. However, Vernon was not about to give in to a Dudley style tantrum this time.  
  
'Pack your things and move.' Vernon said sternly to Harry. Harry, not believing his sudden luck, rushed out of the kitchen and into his cupboard. Shoving all his belongings into a cardboard box, Harry went upstairs to find Dudley's second bedroom. The bed was made, and all Dudley's broken toys were sitting about the room.  
  
Seeing as the amount of belongings Harry owned was small, he only had to make the one trip upstairs to move in to Dudley's spare bedroom. Harry put down his cardboard box filled with his belongings and wondered why Vernon had decided to let him move into Dudley's room. Frankly, Harry didn't care. He was grateful to finally be out of his cupboard.  
  
~***~  
  
There were only three school days left before the summer holidays started, and Harry was getting anxious about starting at Stonewall High.  
  
He was talking with Caprice that day at school, about starting middle school.  
  
'Caprice, I'm so glad you're coming to Stonewall High with me, I don't know what I'd do without you.' Harry said.  
  
'You're so lucky to have me Harry James Potter.' Caprice teased. Then, her expression turned serious. 'But, I'm not going to Stonewall High next year.' She said, looking at the ground.  
  
'Huh? Why not? We discussed it and everything! Your parents said you could!' Harry said frantically. 'What about me? What made you change your mind?'  
  
'Well, I've gotten a letter, accepting me to another school. It's a really good school, and I really want to go. . . sorry Harry.' Caprice said sadly.  
  
'What school?' Harry asked.  
  
'Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me.' She replied.  
  
'Try me, I'll believe you.' Harry said.  
  
'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' Caprice said simply. Harry burst out laughing.  
  
'Nice one Caprice! No, really, what school?' Harry said in between laughter.  
  
'See, I knew you wouldn't believe me.' Caprice said. Harry stopped laughing.  
  
'You're serious? A magic school? Can I come?' Harry said hopefully.  
  
'No, you have to be accepted by a letter.' Caprice said. 'I'm magic! Watch me turn you into a toad!' Caprice waved her hands at Harry. Nothing happened.  
  
'Am I a toad yet?' Harry teased.  
  
'Shut up! I haven't had any magic lessons yet, so I'm a little rusty.' Caprice said.  
  
'How come I didn't get an acceptance letter?' Harry whined.  
  
'Maybe you did, maybe your Uncle and Aunt took it off you.' Caprice suggested.  
  
'No, they wouldn't do that, they'd want me as far away from them as possible.' Harry said, and scratched his head.  
  
'By the way, I tried calling your aunt and uncle's house on the weekend.' Caprice said. 'I wanted to tell you about my new school.'  
  
'Oh so that was you who Uncle Vernon was yelling at?' Harry asked.  
  
'Yeah, he said that there was no Harry Potter living there.' Caprice said.  
  
'I know, I heard him.'  
  
'That's so sad Harry.' Caprice said. 'Maybe I should smuggle you into Hogwarts?' Harry smiled.  
  
'That would be so cool!' He said. 'And we'd have adventures exploring the school and everything! No Dudley, no bullies, just you and me.' Both friends stared into space thinking how lovely that would be.  
  
~***~  
  
It was the first day of the summer holidays, and Caprice was getting excited about going to Hogwarts. Harry got jealous every time she brought up the topic of her being gone for the whole year studying magic. Harry was in his room playing with a small plastic horse when Vernon walked in.  
  
'Here's your uniform for Stonewall High.' He said, and dumped Harry's uniform on the bed. Harry looked at the sad uniform. It was a bunch of Dudley's old clothes dyed grey to look like the Stonewall Uniform. Naturally, they looked nothing like the uniform. Harry had seen Stonewalls uniform in a catalogue, and he shuddered at the amount of teasing he would receive.  
  
A small rock hit his window. Harry walked over to the window and looked down. On the ground outside, stood Caprice.  
  
'Harry, I'm going to a place called Diagon Alley to get my school supplies! Do you want to come?' Caprice called up.  
  
'I don't think I'll be allowed.' Harry called down to her.  
  
'So? Come anyway, sneak out! Live life on the edge!' Caprice said.  
  
'How do you plan on getting to Diagon Alley?' Harry asked.  
  
'It's only in London.'  
  
'Wouldn't normal people notice a magic place?' Harry asked.  
  
'It's hidden you know.' Caprice replied.  
  
'How are you getting there then, if it's hidden?'  
  
'Mum and dad are taking me, they're witch and wizard! I never knew!' Caprice said.  
  
'I wish my parents were witch and wizard.' Harry said sadly. 'I wish I could remember them.'  
  
'It's okay Harry, I'll try to come home for the Christmas Holidays, that's not far away! I'll come and visit you and everything!' Caprice said reassuringly.  
  
'Thanks. . .' Harry said.  
  
'Not a problem! I can't wait until school starts! I want to do magic now! Oh, guess what? I get a wand!' Caprice said, picking up a stick and waving it around like a fool.  
  
'Go on, rub it in even more.' Harry said sadly.  
  
'Sorry Harry, I'm just so excited.' Caprice threw the stick to the ground.  
  
'You know, through all our years of friendship we've always done everything together. This will be the first time we've been apart for more than a weekend.' Harry called down to her.  
  
'So you'll miss me Harry?' Caprice asked.  
  
'Of corse I'll miss you! How can I not?' Harry replied. Harry heard the door to his room open, and he ducked inside, waving to Caprice to let her know she had to get out of there.  
  
Vernon Dursley stood at the doorway looking big and mean.  
  
'You are not to associate with that girl ever again.' He roared. 'I will have none of this magic nonsence under this roof, you hear!' He roared. Harry cowered in the corner.  
  
'But she's my friend.' Harry pleaded.  
  
'I don't care, she's no good, and you will not be seeing her ever again.' Vernon said, and turned to leave, but Harry stopped him.  
  
'So what else can't I have? Huh? First the letters, and now my best friend.' Harry said bravely.  
  
'You shut your mouth boy, if you know what's good for you.' Vernon barked, and slammed the door behind him. Harry plonked onto his bed and sighed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* Quite a lot shorter than the last chapters, so sorry for the wait! I haven't had time to do this fiction lately. . . Caprice is a witch! Who's happy! Lol! Well, please review guys, I'll be looking to post the next chapter a lot sooner than I have posted this one! *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	4. Discovery

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey! Thanks to all my reviewers, you all have great suggestions for my fic! Keep them coming! Yay! *~  
  
Chapter 4 ~ Discovery  
  
Harry had fallen asleep on his bed, when less that half an hour later, he was awoken by a loud knock on the Dursley's front door. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, and walked out the door to the top of the stairs, hoping to get a glimpse of who was at the door.  
  
Harry saw three people. Two, he didn't recognise, the other was Caprice. She saw him and waved happily. Vernon was talking to the two adults, who Harry assumed were Caprice's parents. Caprice ran up the stairs to talk to Harry.  
  
'Guess what Harry? I asked mum and dad about you, and they said that you have to come to Diagon Alley or else!' Caprice said excitedly.  
  
'Really? How cool! I hope I can get a wand too!' Harry whispered excitedly.  
  
'Come on Caprice, Harry, let's go.' Mr Jenkins called up the stairs. Vernon tried to stop Harry from going, but Harry slipped out of his grasp and ran into the Jenkins's car.  
  
'You'll be sorry boy!' Vernon called as they sped away in the expensive looking BMW.  
  
'Are you excited Harry?' Caprice asked him.  
  
'Yes! I want to get a wand, that's the main thing! Then I can curse Dudley, oh you'll have to teach me magic Caprice!' Harry said.  
  
'I will, don't worry!' Caprice replied. 'I'll teach you all well and good.'  
  
'So Harry, you have no idea who your parents are, do you?' Mrs Jenkins asked, turning around to face Harry. Her eyes trailed slightly to his forehead.  
  
'I don't remember them, they died in a car crash when I was just a baby.' Harry said. Neither Mr or Mrs Jenkins said anything, they just exchanged worried looks.  
  
'I'm going to get a cat!' Caprice said. 'And I'm going to walk around with a top hat, and a broom, and my cat, which I'm going to call Mesley, and she's going to be loyal.'  
  
'Caprice, we said you could get an owl.' Mr Jenkins said.  
  
'But I want a cat! It's like tradition for witches to have black cats.' Caprice whined.  
  
'Caprice, cats are useless in the wizarding world in reality, on muggle television that is just a pretend wizarding world.' Mrs Jenkins explained.  
  
'Muggle?' Harry asked curiously.  
  
'Non magical folk.' Mrs Jenkins confirmed.  
  
'Oh.' Harry looked out the window.  
  
'So Harry dear, are you sure you haven't gotten a Hogwarts letter?' Mrs Jenkins asked curiously.  
  
'I'm sure.' Harry replied.  
  
'How strange.' Mr Jenkins said. Harry got the feeling they knew something he didn't know, and he didn't like it.  
  
'Do you know something?' Harry asked.  
  
'Something like what Harry dear?' Mrs Jenkins asked.  
  
'I don't know, but you seem to know a lot more about me than you're saying.'  
  
'You're very smart Harry, you should be a wizard.' Was all Mr Jenkins would say.  
  
~***~  
  
When they finally pulled up to a stop, Harry was feeling rather excited, as if he was the one going to Hogwarts and not Caprice.  
  
'This way children.' Mrs Jenkins said, and led them into a place called "The Leaky Cauldron". It was crouded with many wizards and witches, some looking mean, and some looking like they could use a good shower.  
  
Harry and Caprice were led out the back, into a small alley. Mr Jenkins walked to the far end of the alley and tapped his wand on the bricks. Harry and Caprice watched, amazed, as the solid brick wall opened to form an arch way, and a large wizard shopping alleyway appeared.  
  
'Oh wow! It's so amazing!' Caprice said in awe. Harry was too shocked to say anything. Mr and Mrs Jenkins smiled.  
  
'So, Caprice, we're here for you, where do you want to go first?' Mr Jenkins asked.  
  
'Daddy, I want to go and get my wand first!' Caprice said eagerly.  
  
'Okay Caprice, off to "Olivanders".' Mr Jenkins said, and led the children through the crouded Alley. Mrs Jenkins had said she was going to Gringotts, whatever that was, but Mr Jenkins seemed to know what she was talking about.  
  
As they walked into the dusty old shop, a small tinkle of a bell could be heard. Mr Jenkins put a hand on his daughter and whispered that he had to leave, but he'd be back.  
  
Caprice and Harry waited in the dimly lit store. A few minutes had passed before an old man with scruffy white hair appeared. He took one look at Harry and smiled, ignoring Caprice entirely.  
  
'Ahh, Mr Potter, I was wondering when I would see you.' The old man said with a smile. Harry felt goosebumps trailing down his arms.  
  
'I'm not here for me, I'm just with my friend Caprice, I'm not going to Hogwarts.' Harry said slowly. The old man's smile turned to shock.  
  
'Harry Potter, not going to Hogwarts? It's un-heard of!' He said.  
  
'What do you mean sir?' Harry asked timidly. 'And how do you know my name?'  
  
'You don't know who you are, do you? Every wizard and witch knows your name! You're famous Harry Potter, the boy who lived.' The man said.  
  
'Huh? How did I live? What do you mean?' Harry asked.  
  
'Harry, I am not the right person to tell you.' Ollivander said softly. 'You must find Albus Dumbledore, he will tell you everything you need to know.'  
  
'Who's Albus Dumbledore?' Harry asked.  
  
'You don't know who Albus Dumbledore is?' Ollivander asked, shocked. 'He's only the greatest wizard ever!'  
  
'Sorry, no.' Harry said, not knowing what this man would do in reaction. He looked down on Harry with a slightly amused look on his face.  
  
'Harry Potter, go back to the muggles. I have a feeling I will be seeing you very soon.' Mr Ollivander said, and beckoned Caprice to go with him to find her a wand.  
  
~***~  
  
Naturally, when they returned Harry to his home at 4 Privet Drive, Vernon Dursley threw a tantrum, and ordered Harry to be locked in his room with bars on the windows so he could not escape or see Caprice over the summer holidays, which were right around the corner.  
  
Harry, of corse, had protested. He wanted to see Caprice as much as he possibly could before she went to Hogwarts. He was sad that she could go and he couldn't, but at the same time, happy for Caprice.  
  
After Harry had been made a prisioner of his own room, he lay down on his bed to try and figure out what he could do to escape and see his best friend. If only he had a book, something to pass the seemingly endless hours he would be locked in his room.  
  
Although this was a pretty bad situation, Harry decided to make the best of it by trying to figure out who Albus Dumbledore was, and why he would play an important role in his upcoming years.  
  
Harry had come up with several reasons for why Dumbledore would involve himself, before he got incredibly bored. Making things into fantasy only seemed fun when Caprice was around to share it with. He missed her.  
  
~***~  
  
The following morning, Harry awoke to the sound of a breakfast tray being stuffed into a "dog door" which had been inserted into Harry's bedroom door.  
  
A piece of toast.  
  
That was to last Harry until lunchtime. No wonder he was so skinny and scraggly. After polishing off the piece of toast, Harry sighed and looked around his empty room. For a few hours, he occupied himself by imagining all the cool stuff he would have had if his parents hadn't died when he was a baby.  
  
Then it hit him. The letters that the Dursleys had been hiding from him! They were Hogwarts letters! Harry had been accepted into Hogwarts, but he just didn't have the information. He suddenly got very mad.  
  
'Wouldn't they want me out of their hair for a while?' He said to no one inparticular. 'I could be going to Hogwarts with Caprice, but instead I'm barracaded here, in the last place I want to be.' Harry complained.  
  
That week had been complicated. He had discovered that his best friend was a witch and all set to go to Hogwarts, he had also come to the conclusion through what Mr Ollivander had said that he too was a wizard, but the Dursleys had been keeping his true self from him. He wanted to hurt them. They were preventing him from being who he was supposed to be. What else had they kept from him? Maybe his parents didn't die in a car crash?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* These chapters have been getting shorter and shorter. . . lol! Sorry! But you do realise that writing about this sort of thing isn't easy, and it's helpful to get suggestions on where to take it with reviews! So if you have an idea for me, review away! *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	5. Away She Goes

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey everyone! My faithful readers and reviewers! I'm glad to hear that you like the story, and yes, Caprice's parents will have a lot to do with the plot in upcoming chapters! *~  
  
Chapter 5 ~ Away She Goes  
  
Harry hadn't been allowed out of his room for the whole holidays. He had watched kids running around playing hide and seek, pretending to be pirates, running around, and basically having fun. All Harry could do was lean on his windowsill, press his nose up against the cool glass, and wish he was out there too.  
  
Caprice hadn't been around to see him since he had been locked in his room. She must have known something was wrong, and didn't want to make the Dursleys any angrier than they already were.  
  
The hours crawled by, and night time fell. Harry was lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling wondering what Caprice was doing at that very moment. Probably getting ready to go to the magical school, Harry thought bitterly. How he longed to be going to Hogwarts with her, instead of being stuck at the Dursleys boring house, where he was locked up like an animal.  
  
Tap.  
  
Harry jerked himself up into a sitting position.  
  
Tap.  
  
He looked over to the window.  
  
Tap.  
  
Harry got up and crept silently to the window, and looked down to the grass. Caprice was standing down there, throwing small stones up at his window. Harry slid the glass open and tried to stick his head through the bars, but they were too close together.  
  
'Harry! I thought you might be locked up.' Caprice said.  
  
'What are you doing here? If the Dursleys catch you here, you'll be in big trouble, and so will I!' Harry said, in a quiet voice so that he wouldn't wake the Dursleys up. Caprice seemed to have gotten the gist anyway.  
  
'But Harry, I'm leaving tomorrow morning, at eleven am! I just came to say goodbye.' Caprice explained sadly. 'I wish you could come, that Ollivander guy said that you should be going to Hogwarts! I'll have a talk to mum and dad about it.' She continued.  
  
'Thanks Caprice, but there's no way the Dursleys will let me go.' Harry replied.  
  
'I'll see what I can do.' She said. 'Bye Harry! If you can't come to Hogwarts, I'll see you in the Christmas holidays.' She said, giving him a big wave. Harry waved back down to her, and watched as she sprinted away in the direction of her house.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry woke the next morning at nine thirty. He noticed a tray with one piece of soggy looking toast on the floor near the door. Harry grabbed his glasses from his bedside table, and scrambled out of bed. Before touching the toast, Harry tried the door. Locked. Could he ever get a break?  
  
The minutes ticked past. Harry half expected that Caprice and her parents would come and break him out, but no such luck. Eleven o'clock came and went. Caprice was on her way to Hogwarts.  
  
~***~  
  
Platform nine and three quarters was crouded as Caprice stepped through the magical barrier separating the magical world from the muggle world. She stepped shakily onto the train, and found a compartment by herself. Caprice longed for Harry to be here with her. She missed him a lot. She knew that he was trapped in his bedroom, and couldn't even go outside for some fresh air. Caprice vowed to learn lots of magic and break Harry out during the Christmas Holidays.  
  
A tall, red haired boy stuck his head around the door to Caprice's compartment. She looked at him in shock.  
  
'Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full.' He said shakily.  
  
'Sure, go ahead.' Caprice said. The red haired boy walked gingerly into the compartment and sat down on the opposite side to Caprice.  
  
'I'm Ron Weasley.' He said, trying to make conversation.  
  
'I'm sad.' Caprice said. Ron looked at her strangely.  
  
'Why are you sad?' He asked.  
  
'Because my best friend is a wizard, but his aunt and uncle won't let him come to Hogwarts with me.' Caprice told him.  
  
'Really? What a shame. Who's your best friend?' Ron asked.  
  
'Harry. Harry Potter.' This sparked the exact reaction which Caprice had been waiting for. Ron's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.  
  
'You know Harry Potter?' He asked, his mouth still wide open.  
  
'Yeah, I've known him for about three years now, he's my best friend, we normally do everything together.' Caprice said.  
  
'Do you know who he is?' Ron asked.  
  
'Well duh! Of corse I know who he is!' Caprice said, like Ron had just asked her what colour the sky was.  
  
'Oh, I just thought. . . oh never mind.' Ron said. 'So what's your name anyway?' He said changing the subject, but Caprice could tell Harry was still on his mind.  
  
'Caprice Jenkins.' She replied.  
  
'Cool.' Ron said. 'Do you want to see a spell that my brother gave me?'  
  
'Sure, why not.' Caprice said, looking on anxiously. Ron pulled out his wand.  
  
'Sunshine daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow.' Ron said, and pointed his wand at a large rat which was sitting on his lap. Caprice screamed, she had not noticed the rat before, and she hated the creatures.  
  
'Get it away!' She shrieked. Ron looked at her in an odd fashion, but put his rat in his back pack.  
  
'That there was Scabbers, he's been a faithful pet, doesn't do much though.' Ron said.  
  
Just then, a small round-faced boy walked into the cabin, followed by a bushy haired girl who had a bossy look on her face.  
  
'Has any of you seen Trevor? He's my toad.' The boy said. Ron and Caprice shook their heads. 'My name's Neville Longbottom.' He continued. Caprice swallowed a laugh. 'If either of you see a toad, would you let me know?' Caprice nodded, and Ron muttered a yes.  
  
'My name's Hermione Granger.' The girl said, pushing past Neville. She spotted the wand in Ron's hand. 'Oh, you're doing magic already? Let's see it then.'  
  
'Can't, Caprice here doesn't like my rat.' Ron mumbled.  
  
'Oh, I've tried a few simple spells already, and they've all worked for me.' Hermione said in a bossy, know-it-all voice. She looked at Caprice and Ron in their muggle clothing. 'You should change into your school robes, I expect we'll be arriving soon.' Hermione was already in her Hogwarts Robes.  
  
'Are you done?' Caprice said in a rather nasty tone. Hermione frowned.  
  
'If you see the toad, tell Neville.' She said haughtily, and stalked out of the cabin, beckoning Neville to follow her.  
  
'If I see the toad I'll squash it!' Caprice called after them. Hermione's head appeared around the door. She looked directly at Ron.  
  
'By the way, you have dirt on your nose, did you know?' She said, rubbing her nose in the exact spot where Ron had a smudge of dirt. Hermione then disappeared, without a second thought.  
  
Ron and Caprice exchanged glanced.  
  
'Well she was rude.' Ron said after a while. 'I wonder if we'll get any more visitors?' He said, gazing out the train window.  
  
After an hour had passed, and Caprice had ordered some wizard sweets from the witch walking around with a food trolley, three boys came into the cabin. One was slightly smaller than the other two, with white blonde hair, and a slightly evil look about him. The other two were big and clumbering.  
  
'I saw you at Diagon Alley.' The blonde boy said, looking at Caprice. 'You had a friend with you, I was told he is Harry Potter. Do you know where I can find him?'  
  
'Yes, I do.' Caprice said in a confident tone. A small silence followed this remark.  
  
'Well, where is he?' The boy demanded.  
  
'Number four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.' Caprice said, being serious.  
  
'No way! Harry Potter not at Hogwarts? What is the meaning of this?' The boy cried, obviously outraged. He quickly redeemed himself, and stuck his hand out to Caprice. 'I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.' Ron sniggered. Draco snapped his head towards Ron, pulling his hand away from Caprice. 'You think my name's funny do you? No need to ask who you are, red hair, and hand me down robes, you must be a Weasley.' Draco spat. Ron looked down, the corners of his ears going bright red.  
  
Draco turned back to Caprice.  
  
'You had better choose your friends wisely, you don't want to be stuck with the wrong sort.' Draco said, once again, offering his hand to Caprice. She looked from his hand, to his eyes, and to Ron, then back to Draco's hand, which she shook.  
  
'Caprice Jenkins.' She said. 'Best friend of Harry Potter.' Caprice smiled proudly. Draco smirked at Caprice.  
  
'I'll be seeing you around, Jenkins.' He said with a grin, and left, followed by his goons. Caprice turned back to Ron.  
  
'Lovely guy, don't you think?' She said shyly. Ron glared at her warningly.  
  
~***~  
  
The Hogwarts Express came to a halt, and everyone piled off. Caprice walked by herself, not wanting to walk with Ron, who was obviously mad at her for accepting Draco's hand of friendship.  
  
'Firs' years! Firs' years this way!' A really tall, really wide man called out. Caprice followed the sound of his voice, not being able to see over the heads of the people around her. She reached the man, and saw that they were at a dock, with lots of boats. The lake was large, and black.  
  
'No way! I'm not going through that!' Caprice yelled. Draco came up beside her.  
  
'Come on Jenkins, get in with me, Crabbe and Goyle.' He said, grabbing her shoulders and leading her to a boat with his goons already in it.  
  
The boats magically rowed themselves to the other side of the lake, Caprice was sitting closely beside Draco so she wouldn't fall in.  
  
'So, Jenkins, what house do you want to get in?' Draco asked.  
  
'Well, Malfoy, since we're going on a last name basis, my parents were in Ravenclaw and Slytherin, so I'd like to be in either of those houses.' Caprice replied.  
  
'My parents were both in Slytherin.' Draco said. 'If they tried to put me in Hufflepuff I'd go home, wouldn't you?'  
  
'I don't know, I guess.' Caprice replied, wanting desperately to get off the lake. The boats finally reached the other side of the lake, and all the first years gazed up at the amazing castle in awe.  
  
'It's beautiful!' Caprice said.  
  
'Yeah yeah.' Draco replied, not really interested at all.  
  
~***~  
  
'Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall, teacher of Transfiguration, and head of Gryffindor House. You will now be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Your house will be your home while you are staying at Hogwarts. Good behaviour will be rewarded with house points, however, breaking the school rules will result in penalty of points deducted and a detention given. Please wait here.' The old Professor walked through the doors and left the first years to murmur amongst themselves.  
  
Caprice stood nervously next to Crabbe, Goyle and Draco. She wondered what Harry was doing, and she was nervous about the sorting. Caprice tried to think of pretend ways which they would be sorted, but gave up because it just wasn't any fun without Harry to be there with her. She missed him a lot.  
  
'This way please.' McGonagall said upon her return. She led them through the Great Hall, and to the front, where an old shabby hat was sitting upon a stool.  
  
'Now, when I call your name, would you please sit on the stool, and I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses.' McGonagall said sternly.  
  
'Hannah Abbott.' Hannah walked to the stool and sat on it. The sorting hat was placed on her head.  
  
'HUFFLEPUFF!' The call called. Hannah walked calmly to the Hufflepuff table and sat down.  
  
'Susan Bones.' Susan walked up nervously and the hat was placed on her head.  
  
'HUFFLEPUFF!' The sorting hat cried, and Susan ran happily to the Hufflepuff table, where she sat next to Hannah. Draco let out a snort.  
  
This went on, Caprice didn't really pay much attention until her name was called. She walked up and sat on the stool. The sorting hat was placed on her head, and she heard it talk to her inside her head.  
  
'Hmm, you have the mind for . . . SLYTHERIN!' The hat said "Slytherin" out loud, and Caprice jumped down from the stool and over to Crabbe and Goyle, who were already Slytherins. She saw Ron turn around and glower at her, and Draco smiled at her.  
  
When it was Draco's turn, he barely had to put the hat on his head before it yelled out;  
  
'SLYTHERIN!' Draco went and sat with Caprice, Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
When the sorting ceremony was over, an old wizard stood up at the teachers table.  
  
'Good evening and welcome to Hogwarts. For all first years, and some older students who need reminding, the dark Forrest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, the third floor corridor is off limits, for all of you who do not wish to die a horrible death.' The man said, and he sat down.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* What did you all think of me putting Caprice in Slytherin? When Harry does come to Hogwarts, there'll be some controversy with Slytherins and Gryffindors, or do we want Harry in Slytherin with Caprice? Have a think about it and let me know what you think. *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	6. The School Year Starts

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey everyone! Thanks to The Evil Cup Of Tea, Star, Scholcomp25, SlytherinDamian, Her-Mo-Ninny1, and shdurrani for reviews on the last chapter! Different people want Harry in the different houses, oh someone wanted me to put Harry in Ravenclaw, I won't do that, sorry, Ravenclaw isn't one of the popular houses. Yes, Harry will either be in Slytherin or Gryffindor. There has been excellent reasons supporting both houses, so it will be hard to decide. Not everyone can be happy with my decisions in this fic, so I'm sorry guys!  
  
Oh, Her-mo-Ninny1, just because Caprice is in Slytherin, doesn't make her evil! You'll see. Oh, I wrote it as the "dark Forrest" because it would sound kind of strange to read: "The forbidden Forrest is forbidden." Lol! Read on! *~  
  
Chapter 6 ~ The School Year Starts  
  
For Harry, the start of the school year at Stonewall High was not a happy time. He used to love the idea of being at a new school without Dudley and his gang, just him and Caprice. Now the very idea seemed depressing. He didn't have Caprice with him, and he wouldn't know anyone, whats more, no one would want to be friends with him. Harry would be alone.  
  
He walked through the large metal gates which led to Stonewall High. He didn't like the feeling of being alone at a new school. It scared him.  
  
Harry's class was small, only twelve girls and fourteen boys. Great, stuck with these people for a whole year, Harry thought bitterly. How he wanted to be at Hogwarts with Caprice.  
  
The teacher walked into the classroom just as everyone was seated.  
  
'Good morning and welcome to Stonewall High. I see lots of new faces. This will be your class for the rest of the year, and if you don't like it, feel free to spend time in detention.' The old lady said. She looked sternly at Harry. 'Tuck in your shirt mister.'  
  
'Sorry ma'am.' Harry muttered and tucked his shirt in. The whole class sniggered.  
  
'Silence!' The teacher barked. Everyone shut their mouths. 'I am Miss Trump. Anger me and you will suffer the consequences.' A few people cringed.  
  
There was a small knock on the door. A tall, aged man with long white hair and a beard to match was at the door. He wore a pointed hat and a poncho type garment, both of which were stunning purple.  
  
The kids in the class crinked their necks to try to get a better look at this strange man. Miss Trump waddled over to the door.  
  
'Yes?' She said in a rather impatient voice.  
  
'Hello, Miss Trump I believe? There was a bit of a misunderstanding with the placement of one of your students.' The funny man said.  
  
'No sir, there is no mistake, be on your way.' She said, not liking the looks of him.  
  
'You have one Harry Potter in this class, do you not?' The man asked.  
  
'Yes, I believe I do have a student by that name.' Miss Trump replied. The man smiled.  
  
'My name is Albus Dumbledore.' He said. Harry's ears pricked up, and he spun around to face the tall man. Dumbledore smiled warmly at Harry, he had a twinkle in his eye.  
  
'What kind of a name is that?' Miss Trump barked.  
  
'None that you would ever have come across my dear lady. Come Harry.' Dumbledore said, beckoning Harry to follow him. Harry could not believe what was happening. This man was surely here to take him to Hogwarts.  
  
Harry jumped up and ran out of the classroom to Albus Dumbledore. He looked up at him with bright eyes, wanting to know when they were going to Hogwarts. Dumbledore chuckled.  
  
'Yes Harry, you get to come to Hogwarts, I trust you have already heard about it from dear Caprice Jenkins?' Dumbledore said. Harry nodded anxiously. 'Good, walk with me.' He led Harry down the hall and away from Miss Trump.  
  
'How are we going to get there? Caprice already said that they all left.' Harry said.  
  
'Indeed. The sorting ceremony has already taken place, however we will make a small acception in your case.' Dumbledore said.  
  
'Sorting ceremony?'  
  
'Yes, where you get sorted into your house.' Dumbledore replied. 'Ah, here we are.' He said as they entered an empty hall. There was a few tables, and many chairs scattered around the hall, and a large fireplace on the far wall. Dumbledore strode towards the fireplace, with Harry running to keep up.  
  
'What about all my clothes and stuff?' Harry asked. 'I don't have any school supplies!' He said.  
  
'We'll worry about that when we get there, your clothes have already been transported to Hogwarts, where they will be awaiting your sorting.' Dumbledore said, stopping in front of the fire place.  
  
He took out a handful of dust, and handed it to Harry, who looked at the pile of dust curiously.  
  
'Floo Powder.' Dumbledore said, explaining nothing.  
  
'What's Floo Powder?' Harry asked.  
  
'Step into the fireplace, throw that at the ground, then say clearly "Hogwarts", and you shall be transported directly to the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' Dumbledore said with a smile. 'I'll be right after you, off you go.' He nudged Harry into the fireplace.  
  
Harry stepped nervously into the fire place, threw the Floo Powder, and said;  
  
'Hogwarts School!'  
  
The fireplace jerked him down, and he felt like he was spinning down a slide. After what seemed like a lifetime, Harry came to a stop, facing a tall, evil looking man, with black greasy hair.  
  
'Harry Potter, our new celebrity.' He said in a cold tone. Harry cowered.  
  
'Now now Severus, don't frighten him, it is his first time at Hogwarts.' Dumbledore chuckled. He had appeared behind Harry out of the fireplace. Severus gave Harry a cold stare before stalking off.  
  
'I see you met Professor Snape, he is the Potions Master and head of Slytherin house.' Dumbledore explained.  
  
'I don't want to be in Slytherin then.' Harry said firmly.  
  
'The sorting hat will decide.' Dumbledore said, motioning towards a rickety looking stool with a tattered hat sitting on it. 'Take a seat on the stool Harry.' Dumbledore said, lifting the hat off.  
  
Harry sat down, hoping that he wouldn't break the stool. Dumbledore placed the hat on his head.  
  
'Hmm,' Said a small voice in his ear. 'Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting . . . so where shall I put you?'  
  
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.'  
  
'Not Slytherin, eh?' Said the small voice. 'Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that - no? Well, if you're sure - better be GRYFFINDOR!'  
  
The hat shouted out the last word so that Dumbledore could here it. He smiled.  
  
'Well done Harry, both your parents were in Gryffindor, I'm sure you'll live up to them proudly. Your things have been taken up to your dorm, you'd better follow me since you don't know the way.' Dumbledore said. 'This afternoon, I'll have someone escort you to Diagon Alley, I trust you've already been there?'  
  
'Yes sir, I went with Caprice.' Harry stammered, and hoped that Caprice too was in Gryffindor.  
  
~***~  
  
Caprice sat in her Slytherin dorm. She shared with Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bullistrode, Cora Black and Andrea Newbury. Her bed was inbetween Cora's and Pansy's. They had gone through one day of their classes. Caprice didn't like Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher, but to make up for that, her favourite teacher was Professor Snape, who taught potions, and seemed to favour Slytherins over other houses.  
  
Slytherins had Potions with Gryffindors. Snape hated Gryffindors. Caprice could tell just from that one lesson. Ron Weasley, the boy she had met on the train, was in Gryffindor, so were Hermione and Neville.  
  
Snape had already taken lots of points off the Gryffindors in Potions. Caprice had taken a natural disliking to all Gryffindors. It seemed like the normal procedure for Slytherins and Gryffindors to be enemies. There was nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, was there?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* Sorry to everyone who wanted Harry in Slytherin, but my reasons were: He met SNAPE! And he still doesn't know that Caprice is in Slytherin, so yeah. Anyway, R&R guys, until next time! *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	7. Friends

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey everyone! Now that Harry's at Hogwarts, I like writing this story! Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter! The part at Diagon Alley is mostly taken from the book, so don't sue me for plagerism! Here's chapter 7. *~  
  
Chapter 7 ~ Friends  
  
Harry had been taken to the Gryffindor Common Room, and been told the password, Fiddlesticks. His things had been transported to his dorm, and Dumbledore was organising a Professor to take him to Diagon Alley to collect his books and equiptment for the new school year. Dumbledore had also given him a check list of all the things he would need as a first year student at Hogwarts:  
  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
Uniform:  
  
First year students will require:  
  
Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
  
One plain pointed hat (black)  
  
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or other)  
  
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)  
  
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.  
  
Set Books:  
  
All students should have a copy of each of the following -  
  
The Standard book of spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
  
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
  
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore  
  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble  
  
Other Equiptment:  
  
1 Wand  
  
1 Cauldron (Pewter, size 2)  
  
1 set of glass phials  
  
1 telescope  
  
1 set of brass scales  
  
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.  
  
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.  
  
'I take it you're Harry Potter then? Fashionably late to the start of school year, I like that. Ron Weasley's the name, pleased to meet you.' The boy who had been reading over Harry's shoulder said. Harry shook Ron's hand.  
  
'Yeah, good to meet someone friendly here. I have a friend who's already here, you may have met her? Caprice Jenkins?' Harry said. Ron's eyes widened.  
  
'She's not the type of person I'd like to say I know.' He said and shook his head. 'She's in Slytherin, and friends with none other than Draco Malfoy.' Harry looked shocked.  
  
'Oh no! The hat wanted to put me in Slytherin! I could have been with my best friend! Who's Draco Malfoy?' Harry said, outraged at his decision to not want to be in Slytherin.  
  
'Draco Malfoy is the kind of person you don't want to be friends with.' Ron replied.  
  
'But he's friends with Caprice, so he must be decent.' Harry replied.  
  
'Just because he's friends with your friend, doesn't mean he's a nice person.' Ron told him.  
  
'But Caprice is so innocent.' Harry said in her defence.  
  
'She's not too flash in choosing the right sort.'  
  
'What would you know? Do you actually know her? No! I didn't think so.' Harry yelled.  
  
'Listen, Harry, I'm sorry that you're split from your friend, but it was her choice to be friends with Malfoy. They're in Slytherin, and we're in Gryffindor, so you should just learn to deal with that.' Ron said.  
  
'Yeah, you're right, just because she's in a different house, doesn't mean that we can't still be friends.' Harry thought out loud.  
  
'Actually, you wouldn't want to go flaunting a friendship with a Slytherin around the school.' Ron warned.  
  
'And why's that?' Harry asked.  
  
'There's this sort of rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and if you and Caprice are friends, that will mess up the whole system, ending in chaos.' Ron explained.  
  
'So I'm not allowed to be friends with Caprice?'  
  
'You are, but if I were you, I wouldn't go telling anyone about it.'  
  
'Hey, it'd be just like a secret friendship! That would be cool!' Harry exclaimed.  
  
'Yeah.' Ron said dully.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry had been taken to Diagon Alley by the Gamekeeper of Hogwarts, Reubeus Hagrid, who liked to be called Hagrid. Hagrid had shown him his parents vault with a small fortune inside. The tall man had also bought Harry an owl as a late birthday present.  
  
Finally, the moment Harry had been dreading the whole time he had been walking around Diagon Alley, going to Ollivanders.  
  
'Ahh, Mister Potter, I see you're back.' Ollivander said in his creepy voice.  
  
'Good evenin' Mr Ollivander, Harry 'ere needs to get his firs' wand.' Hagrid explained.  
  
'Yes, yes, right this way Mr Potter.' Ollivander said, leading Harry through the maze of shelves covered in wands. He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. 'Which is your wand arm?'  
  
'Er - well, I'm right handed.' Said Harry.  
  
'Hold out your arm. That's it.' He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said; 'Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same. And of course, you'll never get such good results from another wizard's wand.'  
  
Harry suddenly realised that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing it on its own. Mr Ollivander was flitting around the shelves taking down boxes.  
  
'That will do.' He said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. 'Right then Mr Potter, try this one; Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave.'  
  
Harry took the wand, and, feeling foolish, waved it around a bit. Mr Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.  
  
'Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -' Harry tried - but he had hardly waved the wand when it too was snatched back by Mr Ollivander. Harry wondered if Caprice had gone through this as well while he had waited for her.  
  
'No, no - here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out.' Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he became.  
  
'Tricky customer eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple.' Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.  
  
Mr Ollivander stroked his chin.  
  
'Curious, how very curious.' He put Harry's wand back into it's box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, 'Curious. . . curious.'  
  
'Sorry, but what's curious?' Harry asked. Mr Ollivander looked at Harry with a pale stare.  
  
'I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single one. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when it's brother - why, it's brother gave you that scar.'  
  
Harry swallowed.  
  
'Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew, curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember. . . I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter . . . after all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great.'  
  
Harry shivered. He wasn't too sure that he liked Mr Ollivander too much. He paid seven gold galleons for his wand and Mr Ollivander bowed them from the shop.  
  
~***~  
  
When Harry had gotten back to Hogwarts, he was greeted by Ron and two other boys who he had not met.  
  
'Harry, this is Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnegan.' Ron said, introducing Harry to his two friends.  
  
'Nice to meet you both.' Harry said, shaking the boy's hands.  
  
'I heard you're friends with Caprice Jenkins.' Dean said.  
  
'She's an ice girl that one.' Seamus added. Harry noticed how Irish the boy sounded.  
  
'She's not! She's really nice, and if you had bothered to get to know her, you'd know that she's nice.' Harry said defending his friend once more.  
  
'Guys, lay off about Caprice.' Ron said. Dean and Seamus looked quickly at their feet.  
  
'Oh, you have to go and see my brother Percy, he's a prefect for Gryffindor. He has your timetable.' Ron said to Harry.  
  
'Thanks, do you know where I can find him?' Harry asked.  
  
'Sure, follow me, see you two at dinner.' Ron said, waving goodbye to Dean and Seamus, who walked off in the other direction.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry woke early Monday morning. He was excited about his first day of lessons at Hogwarts. All the other first years had already had the Friday's worth of lessons, and were one day ahead of him. Harry was eager to catch up.  
  
'Good morning Harry.' Ron said sleepily.  
  
'Sorry Ron, did I wake you?' Harry asked, rubbing his eyes.  
  
'Nah, you're good.' Ron replied in the midle of a yawn.  
  
'So what are you going to do about Caprice?' Seamus asked from his bed.  
  
'I'm still going to be her friend, but we'll keep it a secret! It's always been fun pretending stuff with Caprice, she's the best really.' Harry answered. He was going to have fun this year, with Caprice, and without Dudley.  
  
~* There's the chapter guys. Hope you liked it, and don't forget to review! I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible! *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	8. His First Day

Reality Check  
  
~* The story continues =). This fic has 69 reviews lol! Sorry, outburst, I'll write this chapter now! Don't forget to review! Lol. Oh, and to those who are wondering, yes, I am following the story line of Philosopher's Stone, but Harry doesn't find out about the stone on his first day at Hogwarts! *~  
  
Chapter 8 ~ His First Day  
  
Harry left the dormatories with Ron, and since that moment, whispers followed him everywhere he went.  
  
'There, look.'  
  
'Where?'  
  
'Next to the tall kid with red hair.'  
  
'Wearing the glasses?'  
  
'Did you see his face?'  
  
'Did you see his scar?'  
  
Harry wished they wouldn't stare, whisper, of pay the slightest amount of attention to him at all. It was a hard enough job trying to find his way to class let alone worry about people staring and whispering about him in the process.  
  
Harry and Ron walked into their class a few minutes late. They had Herbology. In each class, the Gryffindors shared with another house. Hufflepuff was their fellow house in Herbology. In this class, they were to learn how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and find out what they were used for.  
  
The most boring lesson was easily History of Magic, which was the only class taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staffroom fire and got up the next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates and got Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up. Gryffindors had History of Magic with the Ravenclaws.  
  
Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of the lesson, he took the register, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.  
  
'Welcome, welcome Harry, it's a shame you missed the first day.' He said when he reappeared over his desk once again.  
  
Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking.  
  
'For those of you who missed yesterday's lesson,' she stopped to stare at Harry, 'Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts,' she continued, 'Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been lucky to receive a second warning due to Mister Potter's late arrival.'  
  
After making a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. Come end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any change to her match. McGonagall showed the class how it had gone silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile. Hufflepuff shared this lesson with the Gryffindors.  
  
The class everyone had been really looking forward to was Defence Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed his story.  
  
'How did you defeat the zombie Professor?' Seamus asked eagerly, however, Quirrell proceeded to ramble on about the weather. Gryffindors shared this class with Ravenclaw.  
  
Harry was very relieved to find out he wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't had any idea they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have a head start.  
  
'What have we got now?' Harry asked Ron when lunch was over. Ron looked at his timetable and groaned.  
  
'Double Potions with Slytherins,' said Ron. 'Snape's Head of Slytherin house. They say he always favours them - we'll be able to see if it's true.'  
  
'Wish McGonagall favoured us, ' said Harry. Professor McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework.  
  
The Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that happened to Harry since Dudley and his gang shoved his head down the dirty school toilet a few years ago.  
  
Potions lesson took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.  
  
Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the register, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.  
  
'Ah, yes,' he said softly, 'Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity.'  
  
Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Caprice looked at him wide eyed. She hadn't noticed him before Snape had mentioned his name. Caprice got the sudden urge to run over and hug him, but she restrained herself, knowing what Snape could be like.  
  
Harry glanced quickly at Caprice, before looking back down at his parchment. He couldn't let his guard drop while the Slytherins were around.  
  
Snape finished calling the names, and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.  
  
'You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art that is potion making,' he bagan. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had tha gift of keeping a class silent without effort. 'As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, and the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses . . . I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.'  
  
More silence followed this little speech. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead. Harry glanced over at Caprice, but her eyes were fixated on the Professor, who seemed to be walking over to Harry.  
  
'Potter!' said Snape suddenly. Harry didn't realise he was standing right in front of him. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'  
  
Harry glanced at Ron, who looked just as puzzled as he did; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.  
  
'I don't know, sir,' said Harry. Snape's lips curled into a sneer.  
  
'Tut, tut - clearly fame isn't everything.' He ignored Hermione's hand. 'Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?' Hermione stretched her hand as far into the air as it would go without resulting in her leaving her seat.  
  
Harry tried to ignore Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle who were shaking with laughter. Caprice however, was not laughing. She felt bad that her best friend was being humiliated, and she couldn't do a thing about it. She tried to meet Harry's eyes, but he wasn't looking in the direction of the Slytherins.  
  
'I don't know sir.' Harry said finally.  
  
'Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh Potter?' Snape barked. Harry forced himself to look the Professor right in the eyes, without quivering. He hadn't had time to look through his books, after all, he had been dragged out of a Muggle school to come here.  
  
Snape, still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand, went on.  
  
'What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?' At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretched to the ceiling.  
  
'I don't know,' Harry said quietly. 'I think Hermione does, though, why don't you ask her?' A few people laughed, however, Snape was not impressed.  
  
'Sit down.' He snapped at Hermione. 'For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well, why aren't you all copying this down?'  
  
There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, 'And two points will be taken from Gryffindor for your cheek, Potter.'  
  
As they climbed the steps out of the dungeons an hour later, Harry's mind was racing and his spirits were low. Then, he remembered about Caprice. Harry stopped at the top of the steps. Ron stopped next to him.  
  
'What are you doing?' He asked.  
  
'I'm going to see Caprice.' Harry replied. Ron's eyes widened.  
  
'You can't!' He protested, grabbing Harry's arm.  
  
'Why not? I haven't seen her since the night she came to my house to say goodbye.' Harry said, almost pleading with Ron, who let go of his arm.  
  
'Fine, but she's with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, you don't want to go messing around with those guys.' Ron said warningly. At that point, Malfoy, Caprice, Crabbe and Goyle walked up the steps, followed by their large gang of Slytherins. Harry gulped.  
  
'Harry!' Caprice yelled out, and ran up to him to give him a hug, but one look from Ron stopped her. Malfoy strutted up behind Caprice, and sneered at Harry.  
  
'So Potter, Gryffindor you chose, you're loss.' Malfoy jeered. 'You could have been great.'  
  
'Sod off Malfoy.' Ron said sternly. Malfoy shot a warning look at Ron, before turning back to Harry.  
  
'Come on Jenkins, we don't have to waste our time on this loser.' Malfoy said, pulling on Caprice's robes. Caprice gave Harry a small smile, before letting Malfoy and the other Slytherins pull her away.  
  
Ron and Harry watched as the Slytherins walked away, most likely headed for their common room before dinner.  
  
'Oh dear, is that the time? Come on Harry, we have to go to dinner.' Ron said, walking off in the direction of the Great Hall.  
  
~***~  
  
After dinner, students swarmed out of the Great Hall in a large mass. Harry struggled to stay close to Ron as they were knocked around by the sea of students. Someone rudely pushed Harry from behind. He turned to complain to whomever had comitted this act, when he saw Caprice and Malfoy. Malfoy sniggered.  
  
'Good work Jenkins, you're not so soft after all.' He said, patting Caprice on the back. As they walked off, Caprice bumped into him, hard, as to appear she was trying to hurt him, instead, she pushed a note into his hand and winked slightly as she stalked off with Malfoy.  
  
Harry looked down at the note in his hand.  
  
~  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I'm sorry we haven't had time to catch up. Meet me outside the Entrance Hall, on the Hogwarts grounds, at exactly midnight tonight.  
  
Caprice.  
  
Ps, sorry about the Slytherin act, I'll explain tonight.  
  
~  
  
Harry looked around excited, when he realised he'd lost Ron. The croud had thinned, so Harry made his way up to the seventh floor to tell Ron about this secret meeting with Caprice.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* What did you all think? Most of the chapter was classes, boring I know! Lol, but please review anyways. Next chapter is Harry's meeting with Caprice, and a lot of information will be given there ^_~, Philosopher's Stone wink wink. Until next time. *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	9. Meeting With Caprice

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey everyone, I'm off 69 reviews, lol! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and I couldn't wait myself to start writing this chapter! *~  
  
Chapter 9 ~ Meeting With Caprice  
  
Harry lay in bed, bored. He glanced at his watch; 11.15pm. Harry could hear light snores coming from one of the other boy's beds. They were all asleep, even Ron. Harry was particularly surprised Ron was asleep, even after he had told the red head about his meeting with Caprice that was to happen that night.  
  
Harry rolled over. Minutes ticked by. He peered at his watch again; 11.20pm.  
  
'Stuff this.' Harry said to no one inparticular. He threw the covers back and jumped out of bed. he hadn't bothered to get out of his robes, so he was fully clothed, and fully bored.  
  
11.25pm.  
  
Harry silently screamed. He couldn't take the suspense, he wanted to catch up with Caprice now! Walking down the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry heard voices. Not thinking he'd be overhearing anything of interest as he hardly knew anyone at the school, Harry snuck to the bottom of the stairs and listened.  
  
'- and I'm just glad there's no one around.' A female voice was saying.  
  
'Oh come on, it's not that serious, besides, if people have been paying attention to the news they'd know it already.' Said another voice, male this time.  
  
'Well, read it out, we haven't got all day.' The first voice said.  
  
'Sorry Katie.' Said another voice.  
  
'GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST,' the second voice continued. 'Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been stolen. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. "But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts' spokesgoblin this afternoon.' Sarcastic clapping followed the "speech".  
  
'Well done George, you can read.' Harry remembered Ron mentioning his twin brothers, Fred and George. This must be them.  
  
'Come on Fred, let's wait up and see if any annoying first years want to come try and sneak out.' George said happily.  
  
'I'd love to.' Fred replied smugly.  
  
'Boys.' Katie said disapprovingly, and her footsteps could be heard leaving the common room. Harry poked his head around the wall, noticing Fred and George lounging around in some of the armchairs by the fire.  
  
'I wonder what was in that vault?' George said thoughtfully.  
  
'Well one thing's for sure, it was more than knuts, sickles and galleons.' Fred replied. The two twins sat in silence. Harry began to get worried. He now had ten minutes to get down all those stairs and meet with Caprice. Drastic action must be taken. Harry dropped silently to the floor, trying to cover himself from view with his robes. Harry army crawled across the floor, being very careful not to make any noises. Fred and George chatted happily away, unaware of Harry's presence.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry bolted down the final flight of stairs like there was no tomorrow. 12.05am, he knew how much Caprice disliked lateness. Through the Entrance Hall, almost there.  
  
~***~  
  
Caprice stood on the cold grass, not impressed. It was already five minutes past twelve, and Harry still wasn't there. He knew how much she hated lateness.  
  
She looked back at the school, and saw Harry running towards her across the grounds. He reached her and straight away, enveloped her in a huge bear hug. Caprice was so shocked that her glasses fell off her nose, but using her reflexes, she stuck her hand out and caught them. Harry broke their hug, and stood back to look at his best friend.  
  
'Oh Harry, you're a Gryffindork! What were you thinking?' Caprice whined.  
  
'I was thinking "not Slytherin, not Slytherin",' Harry replied. 'but in my defence, I had just met Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house, and I didn't know you were in Slytherin.  
  
'Oh, I see.' Caprice said softly.  
  
'Well, there's a kind of Slytherin - Gryffindor rivalry, those two houses have never gotten along, and if we're friends, it would break tradition.' Harry explained.  
  
'Oh, so you want to be like everyone else.' Caprice challenged. 'Harry James Potter, I thought you were different to everyone else.'  
  
'I am different, it's just that I'm already singled out with this thing that I'm not even sure about. I don't know why so many people recognise me, and I want to get to the bottom of it. Besides, I was just about to suggest a secret friendship.' Harry told her. Caprice's eyes misted over.  
  
'Hey yeah! We could sneak around, and no one would know! It will be so fun! And we can make it, if we get caught, we'll have to walk the plank as punishment!' Caprice said happily.  
  
'Aye me harty.' Harry said, giving her a pirate salute.  
  
'Say, that reminds me, I got you something.' Caprice began digging through her pockets. She eventually pulled out a small bluish box and handed it to Harry. 'It's a chocolate frog, but what you really want is the card.'  
  
'Thanks Caprice.' Harry said, turning over the box to open it. 'Wait, it's not a real frog is it?'  
  
'Nah, it's just a spell. Go on, see who you got. There's all sorts of famous witches and wizards in those cards.' Caprice urged. Harry opened the box, and the frog lept out. Disregarding the frog entirely, Harry pulled out the card.  
  
'Albus Dumbledore, hey, he's the wizard who came and got me from Stonewall High!' Harry exclaimed.  
  
'Ooh, read what it says.' Caprice said, interested. Harry turned the card over to read the writing on the back.  
  
'Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten pin bowling.' Harry read. He turned the card back over, and to his astonishment, Dumbledore had disappeared. Harry gasped.  
  
'What?' Caprice asked eagerly.  
  
'He's gone!' Harry exclaimed.  
  
'Oh, about that, the pictures in the wizarding world move around.' Caprice explained.  
  
'Oh, strange.'  
  
'I know! When I found out, I was like, oh!' Caprice said.  
  
'So, Caprice, you said you were going to explain your "Slytherin Act".' Harry said casually.  
  
'Oh, yes, about that, Draco said that if I don't respect Slytherin traditions I'll be socially outcasted with this girl called Andrea Newbury, and she's a freak!' Caprice said. 'So I have to pretend like I don't like you? You know!' Caprice said cheerfully.  
  
'Yeah, my Gryffindor friends don't like the fact that I'm friends with you.'  
  
'You told them?'  
  
'Well, yes, but at the time I didn't realise that there was some kind of unwritten law about Gryffindors being friends with Slytherins.' Harry said.  
  
'Oh, just tell them that you don't like me anymore because I'm a bitch!' Caprice said, and shoved Harry back playfully.  
  
'So we'll only meet at this time?' Harry asked.  
  
'Well, no, but mainly yes. You have to be creative with excuses, for example, I told Draco that I was going to see if I could break into the secret stash of Professor Snape and see what interesting things I could smuggle.' Caprice winked.  
  
'What happens when you go back with nothing?'  
  
'I simply tell him I'm not advanced enough to break into Snape's office, and that we'll try again next year!' Caprice said gleefully.  
  
'So would we meet up in between classes?'  
  
'I'll tell you what, we'll owl eachother during the week, and have weekly meetings here at the same time. Not the same say though, Draco will suspect something. Um, okay, say this week it's Monday, next week it's Tuesday, the week after it's Wednesday, you follow?' Caprice asked.  
  
'Well, wouldn't that be every eight days?'  
  
'Exactly. I have to get back to the Slytherin Common Room now, so I'll see you tomorrow!' Caprice walked with Harry to the Entrance Hall, where she parted with him and headed towards the Slytherin Dungeons.  
  
Harry turned to walk up the stairs, to the seventh floor, to the Gryffindor Common Room, and back to bed. As he walked, he felt somewhat fulfilled that he had finally gotten the opportunity to spend some time with Caprice, just like it used to be back before all this happened.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* I won't be writing anything for another week, because I'm going to Hervey Bay for a while, so I thought I'd leave you with another chapter before I go! Don't forget to review while I'm gone =) hope you all liked that chapter, more interesting stuff to come! *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	10. Flying

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey guys, I'm back from Hervey Bay, it was pretty boring, but anyway! Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I'm trying to keep the characters acting eleven, in most fictions I read the characters either act too young or too old for their "set age", so that would be why Caprice and Harry are so "immature" about certain things. Just thought I'd clear that up. Oh and another thing which hasn't come up, but I thought I'd better mention it anyway, Caprice is NOT a Mary-Sue. She has glasses, and I never portrayed her as "beautiful" and vain. *~  
  
Chapter 10 ~ Flying  
  
Harry had never thought he'd find a boy whom he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he had met Draco Malfoy. Every time they crossed paths, Caprice was with Malfoy, pretending they were best friends and that she despised Harry. It tore him up inside, though Harry never led on how much it hurt.  
  
Harry was with Ron that night when they saw a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor Common Room, which made them groan. Flying lessons would be starting that week, and Gryffindor would be learning with Slytherin. Harry had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else, however, it quite lost its appeal when he learnt that he would most probably make a fool of himself in front of Malfoy and Caprice. Caprice would have to laugh at him if he fell off.  
  
At breakfast the morning before their first flying lesson, Hermione Granger was interrupted in her lectures on flying tips by the owl post. An owl flew above Neville Longbottom, dropping a small brown box down to him. Neville tried to look cool by catching the box, however, he promptly missed, and the box donked him on the head.  
  
Upon opening the box, Neville squeaked excitedly. A few surrounding Gryffindors peered over to see what he had received. A small glass ball the size of a large marble was filled with silvery smoke.  
  
'It's a Remembrall!' Neville exclaimed. 'Gran knows I forget things, and if you have forgotten something, the smoke turns red,' his face dropped, 'like that.' The smoke had turned a scarlet colour. 'Trouble is, I can't remember what I've forgotten.' Neville complained.  
  
~***~  
  
At three thirty that afternoon, Harry along with Ron and the other Gryffindors were gathered along the Quidditch Pitch. The Slytherins lazily slouched along five minutes late for the lesson. Madam Hooch, the flying teacher, was not impressed with their lateness, but said nothing of the sort.  
  
Each first year positioned themselves next to a broomstick. There were twenty school brooms lying on the ground, and twenty students to occupy the brooms. Harry had remembered Fred and George complaining about the school brooms, how some vibrated if you flew too high, and some always flew slightly to the left.  
  
'Good afternoon class, and welcome to your first flying lesson. Now, stick your right hand over your broom and say "Up".'  
  
'Up!' Everyone shouted. Harry's broom lept to his hand, but his was one of the few which did. Draco Malfoy's broom was sitting smugly in his hand, and so was Caprice's. Caprice smiled smugly. Everyone else seemed to be having trouble. Hermione's broom simply rolled over, and she was getting quite frustrated with it.  
  
Before long, Neville had managed to take off, lose control of his broom, and break his arm. Madam Hooch rushed over to the mangy boy.  
  
'Come on boy, let's get you to the hospital wing,' Madam Hooch muttered, she then added in a louder voice, 'if one broom leaves the ground while I am taking Mr Longbottom to the hospital wing, the person riding it will be out of Hogwarts before they can say Quidditch.' She then stalked off with Neville, who was wimpering slightly.  
  
Malfoy, Caprice and their Slytherin friends burst out laughing as soon as Madam Hooch and Neville were out of sight.  
  
'Did you see his face, the great lump!' Malfoy jeered.  
  
'Shut up Malfoy,' snapped Parvati Patil.  
  
'Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?' said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. 'I never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies, Parvati.'  
  
'Look!' said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something from the grass, 'it's that stupid Remembrall.' The Remembrall glittered in the sun as Malfoy held it up.  
  
Malfoy tossed the Remembrall to Caprice, who caught it.  
  
'Give it here, Caprice.' Harry said quietly. Caprice looked between Harry and Malfoy.  
  
'Jenkins,' Malfoy said, warningly. Caprice looked scared for a split second, however, she mounted her broom and kicked off.  
  
'I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find, like up in a tree.' Caprice smiled gleefully. She flew higher, 'Come get it Potter.'  
  
Harry snatched up his broom, but Hermione grabbed his arm.  
  
'No Harry! You heard Madam Hooch, you'll get us all in trouble!'  
  
Harry ignored her and mounted his broom, trailing Caprice. In a rush of fierce joy, Harry realised he'd found something he could do without being taught - this was easy, this was wonderful. He pulled the broomstick up a little bit to fly higher after Caprice. Harry heard screams and gasps from the ground below, and an admiring whoop from Ron.  
  
Harry caught up to Caprice. By this time they were way out of earshot from the students on the ground.  
  
'Caprice, what are you playing at?' Harry asked. 'Just give me the Remembrall.'  
  
'I can't just give it to you, can you catch?'  
  
'Can I - what? No Caprice, don't even think about it!'  
  
'Go Harry, now!' Caprice raised her arm back, and hurled the Remembrall as far as she could. She then streaked back to the ground to join her friends.  
  
Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up into the air and then start to fall. He leant forward and pointed his broom handle down - the next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing for the ball - wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching - he stretched out his hand, and a foot from the ground, he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight. Harry toppled gently on to the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his hand.  
  
'HARRY POTTER!'  
  
Harry's heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Caprice looked like she had just lost a million dollars. Professor McGonagall was running towards them. Harry got to his feet, and Caprice stepped forward to explain, but Malfoy jerked her back.  
  
'Never - in all my time at Hogwarts -' Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, '- how dare you - you might have broken your neck -'  
  
'It wasn't his fault, Professor -'  
  
'Be quiet, Miss Patil -'  
  
'But Jenkins here -'  
  
'That's enough Mr Weasley! Potter, follow me now.'  
  
Harry caught sight of Caprice as he was following the angry Professor. She looked like she'd just killed her cat. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were laughing their heads off, too busy to notice the look on Caprice's face.  
  
Harry followed Professor McGonagall until they reached the charms classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.  
  
'Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment please?'  
  
A burly fifth year boy stepped out of the classroom into the corridor.  
  
'Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker.' Wood's expression turned from puzzled to delight.  
  
'Are you serious Professor?'  
  
'Absolutely,' said Professor McGonagall. 'The boy's a natural, was that your first time on a broomstick Potter?' Harry nodded, he didn't have a clue what was going on, but it seemed he wasn't being expelled.  
  
'He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive.' Professor McGonagall told Wood. 'Didn't even scratch himself, Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it.' Wood was now looking like all his dreams were coming true.  
  
~***~  
  
'You're joking? Seeker? You must be the youngest Seeker in -'  
  
'A Century.' Hermione interrupted and pushed inbetween Ron and Harry. Both boys looked slightly uncomfortable.  
  
'Yes?' Ron said rudely.  
  
'I was just informing you.' Hermione huffed and walked off, clearly upset.  
  
Everyone was eating dinner peacefully until something unexpected happened. Professor Quirrell burst through the doors of the Great Hall.  
  
'Troll!' He yelled. 'Troll in the dungeons! Just thought you ought to know.' Quirrell's eyes rolled back and he fainted, out cold on the floor.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* We all know what happens next, lol, but do we? I'm going to change some events of the next chapter, just to make it a little more interesting! It will slightly move off the book storyline, and have more to do with Caprice, but the main storyline will stay the same. *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	11. Troll

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey everyone, I've decided to start the next chapter out of boredom. Thanks to all who reviewed and love my story! I'm having a lot of training and assignments to do this term, so I may not be able to get chapters up too speedy, but I'll try! *~  
  
Chapter 11 ~ Troll  
  
Caprice had been sitting with Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle when Professor Quirrell had burst suddenly into the Great Hall with his warning about the Troll. Malfoy had looked rather scared, but tried not to show it, while Crabbe and Goyle remained expressionless, as always. Caprice was not scared of Trolls, she was not scared of anything, well, except for losing loved ones.  
  
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle quickly hurried after the Slytherin Prefect, not stopping to notice that Caprice had snuck off and joined the Hufflepuffs who were heading a different direction.  
  
Earlier, Caprice had overheard Gryffindor Parvati Patil telling her Gryffindor friend Lavender Brown, that Hermione was in the girls toilets crying, and that she'd been in there all afternoon. Since Hermione had no notice about the Troll, she probably would be faced with it, with no preparation. Caprice didn't have the heart to leave her defenceless.  
  
As the Hufflepuff group passed the second floor corridor, Caprice slipped away, and into the girls toilet. This particular toilet, no one used. It was the home of the ghost Moaning Myrtle, and no one wanted to make her upset.  
  
As she entered the toilet, she noticed three things. One, Hermione was backed into the corner with no escape, two, the troll had her cornered, and three, Ron and Harry were there trying to deter it's attention by throwing rocks at it's head.  
  
The troll turned from Hermione to Harry, and grabbed him by his foot. Hermione ducked underneath some sinks by the wall while the troll swung Harry around trying to hit him with it's large club.  
  
It seemed that Harry had noticed Caprice standing there, because at that moment, he yelled out:  
  
'Caprice! Do something!'  
  
Ron looked slightly hurt that Harry hadn't asked him to help, however, Caprice flicked out her wand and just as the troll's club was about to come down on Harry's head, she shouted a spell.  
  
'Wingardiam Leviosa!' The troll's club levitated in the air, and came down quickly on it's head, knocking the large troll out cold. Harry scampered to get out of the way before the troll crashed to the floor.  
  
There was a small silence between the four students as they each took in what had just happened. The first one to speak was Ron.  
  
'Jenkins, what are you - I mean, why are you - no, how could you betray your house and come after Hermione?' He finally settled with. Caprice shifted her feet and looked down to the floor. Hermione looked gratefully at Caprice, but she broke her gaze when Ron flashed her a warning look which clearly said "She's a Slytherin".  
  
Just then, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore burst into the toilets. McGonagall took one look at the scene and got quite mad.  
  
'Miss Jenkins, Miss Granger, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, what is the meaning of this?' She said, looking flushed and out of breath. The Professors had obviously ran to the scene. Hermione and Caprice exchanged glances.  
  
'It was my fault Professor.'  
  
Everyone in the room froze, and looked between Caprice and Hermione, who had both said that at exactly the same time.  
  
'I went looking for the troll, and these three followed me, to get me out of trouble.' Hermione jumped in before Caprice could say anything.  
  
'It was my idea to come looking for her though.' Caprice insisted. Each Professor looked stunned, however Dumbledore looked more happy than stunned.  
  
'Five points from Gryffindor Miss Granger, for your stupidity.' McGonagall began, she then turned to Ron and Harry, 'And five points will be rewarded to each of you, for sheer dumb luck. Professor Snape will deal with you as he sees fit.' She finished looking at Caprice. Caprice looked hopefully at Professor Snape, who scowled.  
  
'Miss Jenkins,' He began, in a dangerously low tone of voice, 'If I ever see you disrespecting Slytherin again, there will be more that ten points taken from you.' Professor Snape turned and walked out. Caprice noticed he was walking with a limp, and motioned to Harry, who also had noticed Snape's limp.  
  
~***~  
  
Hermione, Harry and Ron were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room. After that incident with the Troll, the three Gryffindors had become strangly closer, and all silently agreed to be friends.  
  
'Did you two see Professor Snape limping?' Harry asked, lowering his voice so as not to attract unwanted ears.  
  
'Yes, I noticed. Do you think something's up?' Hermione said.  
  
'Maybe it has something to do with that third floor corridor?' Ron suggested.  
  
'He probably let that Troll in so he could poke around in the corridor, there might be something really important in there.' Hermione said.  
  
'That's a possibility, I definitely saw him sneak off at dinner while all the other teachers went down to the dungeons.' Harry said thoughtfully.  
  
'I must have missed that.' Ron muttered. Harry stood up.  
  
'I'm just going for a walk, don't wait up.' Harry said, and walked out of the Common Room. He had arranged quickly to meet up with Caprice on the third floor, and check it out.  
  
Harry quickly hurried to the third floor, not wanting to be a second later than the time he had arranged with Caprice. When he got there however, Caprice hadn't arrived yet. This shocked Harry, because she was always early. The time was now five past eight, their set time, and Caprice still hadn't turned up.  
  
Harry began to get worried, but he stayed where he was. Five more minutes passed before Caprice showed up.  
  
'You're late.' Harry said with a grin. Caprice ran up and hugged him.  
  
'Sorry Harry, I got caught up with the Slytherins, you know how it is.' Caprice said with a smirk.  
  
'No, I don't know how it is with the Slytherins,' Harry replied playfully.  
  
'So do you want to check this out or what?' Caprice said, pulling out her wand.  
  
'Wait, don't you want to check the door first?' Harry said stepping in front of Caprice, and turned the knob. Locked.  
  
'What did I tell you? Alohomora.' Caprice pointed her wand at the lock, which clicked, and let them into the corridor.  
  
Inside, there was a really, and I mean really large three headed dog. Thankfully for Caprice and Harry, it was sleeping. Caprice shivered behind Harry at the sight of the large dog.  
  
'How, and why is this thing here?' She whispered.  
  
'I have no idea, but look, a trapdoor!' Harry pointed at it's large paw. Underneath the paw was a wooden trapdoor.  
  
'What do you think is down there?' Caprice asked, looking over Harry's shoulder to get a better look.  
  
'Obviously something of great value, or else Snape wouldn't be trying to get it.' Harry said thoughtfully. He shifted on his feet as the dog seemed to be waking up.  
  
'Get out of here!' Caprice cried, pulling on Harry's robes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* What did everyone think of that chapter? Please review guys I'll start writing the next chapter as soon as possible. *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	12. Confrontations

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey all, glad everyone liked the last chapter, I have 100 reviews for this fiction now! I'm aiming for 300, I hope that's not too much, but review lots guys! Oh, whoever Canon Detector (or whatever) is, stop telling me to delete this story, ok? Caprice is NOT a Mary-Sue, for the LAST time! *~  
  
Chapter 12 ~ Confrontations  
  
The Christmas Holidays were apon Hogwarts before its students knew it. Harry had definitely decided to stay for the holidays, not wanting to go back to the Dursleys house, however, Caprice had been invited back home for the Christmas Break.  
  
On their secret midnight meeting, this time was a Thursday night, the friends were discussing a few important matters.  
  
'So you're really going home?'  
  
'Yes Harry, I'm very sorry, but my parents really want to see me, and they want me to tell them all about Hogwarts and how its changed since they were here.'  
  
'I don't want you to go.'  
  
'I know you don't, but it's only five weeks Harry, I'm sure you'll be fine.'  
  
'But I've never been away from you for that long before! I'll die!'  
  
'No you won't!' Caprice cried playfully, and crash tackled him to the ground, where they rolled around laughing.  
  
~***~  
  
'Shhh, I know that's Harry, and that looks very much like Caprice Jenkins in Slytherin.'  
  
'But what would Harry be doing with a Slytherin? Especially that one!'  
  
'She did save your life practically,' Ron said.  
  
'You and Harry saved my life.' Hermione said stubbornly.  
  
'No way! If Caprice hadn't shown up, who knows what would have happened.' The two Gryffindors turned back to the window where they saw Caprice and Harry rolling around on the grass play fighting.  
  
'You and Harry would have finished off that Troll, she interfered.'  
  
'I think she had good intentions because she did come after you,' Ron said. 'Give the girl a chance.'  
  
'No! She is a Slytherin, she has Slytherin "pride", and she is the Right- Hand-Girl of none other than Draco Malfoy!' Hermione responded.  
  
'You saw how she helped Harry,'  
  
'You saw how she threw the Remembrall away from Harry when we had Flying lessons, and you see her tormenting Harry and us all the time.' Hermione protested. 'What are they doing?' She looked past Ron and out the window. Harry and Caprice appeared to be playing tag.  
  
'Man, they look like they're having fun.' Ron mused.  
  
'I'm confronting Harry about this as soon as he comes back inside!' Hermione complained, and folded her arms.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry and Caprice finished their game of tag, Caprice winning four games to three. The two best friends hugged goodbye.  
  
'Thanks Harry, I always feel like such a little kid when I'm with you. I don't have to face reality, and I can just kick back and have fun!'  
  
'Likewise.' Harry said, then he got very serious, 'Caprice, there's something I've always wanted to tell you, you've always been my best friend, helping me through tough times, and through happy times, but I don't think I ever really told you just how much I appreciate it.' Caprice smiled, and enveloped Harry in another hug.  
  
'I know Harry, don't worry. Together we will get through the rest of the year.'  
  
'We'd better get going, it's two in the morning, and I need to get some sleep.' Harry said after a few blissful minutes had passed.  
  
'Okay,' Caprice said, almost sadly. 'Look, if I don't see you tomorrow, or get to say goodbye, you know that I'll miss you heaps.'  
  
'I know Caprice. I'll miss you heaps more!'  
  
'Nuh huh, I'll miss you more!'  
  
'I'll miss you times infinity!'  
  
'Okay, you win, but I'll only miss you by a teensy bit less!' Caprice grinned, and they walked back to the castle, holding hands.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry walked straight through the Gryffindor Portrait into a steaming mad Ron and Hermione.  
  
'Uh oh.' He said meekly.  
  
'That's right "uh oh"! Explain yourself Harry James Potter!' Hermione practically screeched. Ron folded his arms over his chest trying to look big and important.  
  
'Explain what exactly?' Harry asked timidly, not wanting to aggrivate Hermione any further.  
  
'Why you and Caprice Jenkins were outside in plain view rolling around, play fighting, hugging, laughing and having fun!' Hermione shrieked. Harry put his hands over his face.  
  
'She's my best friend Hermione, and it's none of your business what I was doing with her! You shouldn't have been spying on me in the first place! You are the most untrustworthy people I have ever met! How could you sit there and spy on me and my best friend in the world?' Harry yelled back. Before either Ron or Hermione could answer, Harry stormed out of the Gryffindor Common Room and slammed the portrait behind him.  
  
~***~  
  
Caprice entered the Slytherin Common Room, only to find Draco Malfoy waiting for her. He was lounging on one of the many Slytherin seats, waiting patiently for her return. When he heard the wall click back into place, Malfoy jerked up.  
  
'Where have you been this time, Jenkins?' He asked, jeering. 'I bet you weren't out stalking lonesome Gryffindors like you said last week, or trying to drown a doxie like the week before. The truth is long overdue, Jenkins.'  
  
'I haven't been doing anything worthy of a confession to you, Malfoy.' She said coldly, looking directly into his silver-grey eyes. Malfoy seemed satisfied.  
  
'Spoken like a true Slytherin.' He said before heading down the stairs to the boys dormatories.  
  
Caprice sighed as soon as he was out of earshot. That was a close one, she thought, and went to bed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* What did everyone think of that chapter? More stuff will happen in the next chapter with Harry being shitty with Hermione & Ron, and Caprice leaves, no more info will be revealed! *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	13. Vital Information

Reality Check  
  
~* With all this updating other fic's, I thought I'd better not leave this one out! So here's the next chapter in Reality Check! *~  
  
Chapter 13 ~ Vital Information  
  
Harry didn't know where he was going to go, but one thing's for sure, he wasn't going back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry was only grateful that Hermione would be leaving for the Christmas Holidays. On the other hand, Caprice was also leaving, and Ron was staying. Ron would not be friendly towards Harry because he despised Caprice.  
  
Harry broke into a light jog as he reached the lower levels of the Hogwarts Castle. He stopped, however, at the third floor. Harry peeked his head around the corner, and noticed there was a student sitting with their back against the wall. He saw that the student was a girl, but he couldn't see her face as she was facing the other direction.  
  
The Gryffindor approached her, not wanting to scare the girl. Harry knelt down beside her very slowly.  
  
'Excuse me,' Harry said with his voice ever so low, soft and gentle. The girl jumped to her feet, startled at the presence of another person. Harry stood to meet her, and saw who it was. 'I know you!'  
  
~***~  
  
Caprice lay in her green, four poster bed, staring up at the ceiling. Tomorrow, she would be heading back to Little Whinging, after having the best school term of her life, in a school she never thought she would be at, with her best friend. She was sad that Harry wouldn't come back with her, but she knew why. If Caprice lived with the Dursleys, she wouldn't want to go back to them either.  
  
Tossing and turning, Caprice realised that she would never get to sleep at this rate. She jumped out of bed and put on her fuzzy pink dress robe which had a chocolate ice cream stain down the front.  
  
Caprice crept across the room, not wanting to wake Cora, Pansy, Millicent or Andrea on her way. She opened the door as silently as she could, and it closed behind her with a click. She slipped silently up the stairs and into the Slytherin Common. To Caprice's relief, Draco had gone to bed, leaving the Common Room empty.  
  
She slunk silently across the cold, smooth stones which made up the floor of the Slytherin Common Room, and out the entrance. The wall slid shut behind her, making an echoing sound, as it always did, making it hard for Slytherins to sneak out.  
  
Caprice made her way out of the dungeons and into the Entrance Hall. Walking through the door and into the main staircase, she began the long climb up the stairs of Hogwarts. Caprice knew she couldn't go see Harry, because she didn't know the password to the Gryffindor Tower, but she could go check out the third floor corridor again and see that large, three headed dog.  
  
Caprice reached the place on the third floor, and poked her head around the corner to make sure no teachers were prowling about. Instead, she saw two students. One was crouched down next to the other, who hadn't even noticed he was there. Caprice didn't know who the two students were, but she decided to stay and see what they were doing.  
  
'Excuse me,' The boy said, and Caprice instantly recognised the voice. It was the voice of her best friend, Harry Potter. Caprice watched as the girl jumped up in shock, and turned to face Harry. Caprice gasped.  
  
'I know her!' She said under her breath at exactly the same time as Harry said; 'I know you!'  
  
~***~  
  
Hermione and Ron were sitting in the Common Room armchairs waiting anxiously for the return of Harry. Ron squirmed on the edge of his seat, while Hermione sat patiently.  
  
'Oh that's it,' Ron said, standing up. 'I can't wait anymore, let's go find him!' Ron turned to leave, but Hermione grabbed his arm.  
  
'We can't go looking for him!' She cried. Ron looked at her.  
  
'And just why not?'  
  
'Because then he'll know that we're sorry and that we care. And it's only been ten minutes.' Hermione said stubbornly.  
  
'Of course we care Hermione, we're his friends, we're meant to care.' Ron told her. 'Harry has the right to be friends with whom ever he wants.'  
  
'I know that, but Caprice is a Slytherin, and a real rotten one at that.' Hermione said.  
  
'You can't deny what you saw on the grounds earlier,' Ron said. 'She was being playful, and sweet, and nice to Harry, you cannot sweep that under the rug.'  
  
'But whenever I see her, she's always with Malfoy, and she sneers at us, and makes fun of us, and Harry too!' Hermione replied.  
  
'Maybe she's putting on an act?'  
  
'Maybe she's putting on an act for Harry, maybe she's spying on him for Malfoy, building up his trust.' Hermione pushed.  
  
'Hermione, I doubt that Harry would go near Caprice if he hadn't known her somehow before coming to Hogwarts.' Ron said matter-of-factly. Hermione thought about this for a minute.  
  
'Let's go.' She grabbed Ron's wrist and lead him out of the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
'Where are we going?' Ron asked as Hermione led him down the stairs.  
  
'Somewhere where we might find Harry.' Came the reply.  
  
'And where might that be?'  
  
'Who knows just come on!' Hermione said, poking her head around the fourth floor. The friends saw that Harry wasn't there, so they crept down to the third floor, and saw Caprice. She was looking around the corner of the third floor so she didn't see them.  
  
Hermione and Ron crept up and pressed against the wall, hidden by the shadows so that Caprice wouldn't be able to see them. Hermione, who was closest, looked around the corner.  
  
'What do you see?' Ron mouthed to Hermione.  
  
'Harry, and some other student.' Hermione mouthed back. Caprice hadn't noticed them yet.  
  
'Excuse me,' Hermione heard Harry say to the girl. She jumped up in shock, and Harry stood to meet her. 'I know you!'  
  
~***~  
  
Draco Malfoy emerged from the first year girls dorms. He was quite angry as Caprice had seemingly escaped from his watch. Where could she have gone? He thought angrily. Storming out of the Common Room, Draco somehow got even madder than he was.  
  
Draco found Caprice, poking her head around the corner to the third floor. He stormed over to Caprice and heard a voice coming from the third floor.  
  
'I know you!'  
  
Draco walked straight up to Caprice and grabbed her by the shoulders just as she was about to rush up to the two figures standing in the corridor.  
  
'Ahhh!' Caprice screamed. 'What are you doing?' She spun around. 'Oh, Malfoy, sorry I didn't know it was you.' Malfoy let her go, and the two Slytherins walked into the third floor corridor.  
  
Hermione and Ron jumped suddenly out of the shadows to face the two Slytherins, Harry, and the girl which they didn't know, and everyone else seemed to know.  
  
Harry spun around to see his four fellow students. He quickly joined Hermione and Ron, and the five of them faced the mystery girl.  
  
'Who are you?' Hermione asked.  
  
'Are you kidding?' Caprice butted in. 'That's Andrea Newbury, a Slytherin first year.'  
  
'Excuse me, Caprice, I can talk for myself.' Andrea said. 'Harry, just the person I was wanting to talk to.' She looked directly at Harry. 'I don't know why everyone decided to show up,'  
  
'We were looking for Harry,' Ron interrupted. Hermione nodded in agreement.  
  
'I couldn't sleep so I came to check out the third floor and that amazing dog.' Caprice said. Everyone turned to look at Malfoy.  
  
'My business is my own.' He said stubbornly. All eyes turned back to Andrea.  
  
'I know that you and Caprice went and checked out the forbidden corridor, and I have some information for you.' Andrea explained. Caprice and Harry immediately stepped forward, so that Andrea may talk to them without the others hearing.  
  
'We'll just go then, shall we?' Ron said cheerfully, pointing with his thumb back upstairs.  
  
'Ron,' Hermione hissed.  
  
'We'll just be off then.' Ron dragged Hermione back upstairs. Caprice, Andrea and Harry stared at Malfoy.  
  
'I'm not leaving if that's what you're thinking, not until Jenkins comes with me. I'm sick of all your midnight sneaking out Jenkins, and what's this Newbury tells me about you and Potter checking out the forbidden corridor, together?' Malfoy spat. 'And Jenkins, why the hell are you being nice to Potter now?'  
  
'Go back to the dungeons Malfoy, I'll be there soon, this happens to be important.' Caprice ordered.  
  
'Why won't you make me.' Malfoy said and folded his arms.  
  
'You had better be going home for the Christmas Holidays Malfoy.' Harry said harshly.  
  
Andrea suddenly grabbed Caprice and Harry, and shoved them into a nearby classroom, locking the door securly so that Malfoy couldn't get in.  
  
'Silencio.' Andrea said, putting a sound proof barrier around the classroom, Malfoy wouldn't be able to hear a thing. Harry and Caprice looked at Andrea in shock.  
  
'So Andrea, what's this information you have for us?'  
  
'Did you happen to notice the trap door?' Andrea asked.  
  
'Yes, that was the second thing we noticed, you know, after the large three headed dog.' Harry said.  
  
'Well, I found out, don't ask how, that the dog's name is Fluffy.' Andrea finished dramatically. Caprice and Harry stared at her blankly.  
  
'How is that supposed to help? And what are you helping us do?' Harry asked.  
  
'Shut up and listen,' Andrea said. 'To get past Fluffy, all you need to do is play him a bit of music, and he'll go straight to sleep.'  
  
'Oh, so we're supposed to get past Fluffy?' Caprice asked.  
  
'Shut up, and listen! Beyond the trapdoor is a bunch of spells and enchantments which you need to get past.'  
  
'Why do we need to get past them?' Harry asked.'  
  
'Shut up and listen, the spells and enchantments are protecting the Philosopher's Stone.'  
  
'What's that?' Caprice asked.  
  
'That's what I leave you to find out.' Andrea said.  
  
'Is that all the information you have for us?' Harry asked the Slytherin girl.  
  
'That's it.'  
  
'Just one thing, Andrea, you're very strange I realise, but why would you be helping us?' Caprice asked.  
  
'I'm just telling you what you need to know. Please don't ask me how I found all this out, because I can't tell you, and I'm gonna leave now, so goodnight, and I hope this has been of help.' Andrea said, and with that, she walked out of the classroom. As she left, the sound proof barrier fell.  
  
Caprice and Harry left the classroom in time to see Andrea push past Malfoy, who was still waiting for them.  
  
'What was that about?' Malfoy asked bitterly.  
  
'Our business is our own.' Harry said, and headed up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower.  
  
Malfoy turned to Caprice.  
  
'Don't look at me.' Caprice said, and walked merrily back down to the Slytherin Dungeons.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* Hey, I know that chapter was weird, and I don't know why I wrote it the way I did, maybe to make it longer! If you're wondering who Andrea Newbury is, I didn't just make her up now, she's been a character in my fiction "Even When There's No Way, There's Always A Will" for some time. *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	14. Andrea Newbury

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey, thanks to all my reviewers! I know that the last chapter was weird, but Andrea will be explained! Well I'll get onto the chapter then shall I? It kind of moves off the storyline a tad, but I don't have to worry about limit, because I have all the chapters I need to make this story work! *~  
  
Chapter 14 ~ Andrea Newbury  
  
Andrea Newbury was a quiet girl who slipped around Hogwarts unnoticed. She had no close friends to speak of, but the Slytherins knew of her, and sometimes spoke to her. Recently, Andrea had become friends with one Reubeus Hagrid, gamekeeper at Hogwarts. She had met and befriended him when she found out that he was caring for a dragon which he named Norbert.  
  
Andrea had spent a lot of time with Hagrid, as she had not much better to do. Hagrid wasn't too good with words, so he had let a some vital information slip about Nicholas Flammel. Andrea immediately realised that something important was going on in Hogwarts, and decided to research Nicholas Flammel. She eventually found out that he was the only known maker of the Philosophers Stone, and that he and his wife were both over six hundred years old.  
  
Knowing this information, Andrea went back to Hagrid. They were talking, and Hagrid let it slip that the only way to get past the three-headed dog named Fluffy was to play him some music. Andrea had become curious, and spontaneously asked Hagrid where he had gotten the dragon from. Hagrid told her about a stranger in the pub which he met, and they talked about creatures which Hagrid cared for.  
  
Andrea realised immediately that the person who had given Hagrid the dragon egg was trying to steal the Philosophers Stone. However, Andrea was powerless to come up against the person who she thought would be stealing the stone, Professor Snape. After all, Snape had been acting suspiciously, even though he was her head of house. So Andrea handed Harry Potter and Caprice Jenkins this information on a silver platter, knowing that they were too wrapped up in their own little world to find it out for themselves.  
  
Andrea only hoped she had done the right thing by telling them, but just to be sure, she was going to follow the duo around wherever they went so that she could knock them back in line when they veered off their task.  
  
~***~  
  
Harry was taking into context what he had found out the previous night. All this information about the Philosophers Stone, and the three headed dog was just too much for one kid to handle. Harry knew that he would have to do something about it, but why bother? He had it all, he had Caprice, he had his school, and his friends in Gryffindor who he currently wasn't speaking to. Harry was seriously considering letting this issue be dealt with by someone of higher status than him, such as Dumbledore.  
  
'Harry, we need a word with you.' Ron said. Harry turned around and saw Hermione and Ron, standing behind him with serious expressions on their faces.  
  
'We know about the Philosophers Stone.' Hermione said. Harry stared at her blankly.  
  
'We know that's what Andrea was talking to you about.' Ron added.  
  
'How did you know that?' Harry asked.  
  
'A very accurate guess.' Ron replied, and Harry looked violated.  
  
'Anyway, we've been doing some research of our own.' Hermione said.  
  
'Yeah, we found out about Nicholas Flammel, and everything. We even went and saw the three headed dog in the third floor corridor.' Ron told him.  
  
'We just want you to know that if you think about going down the trapdoor, we'll be right next to you, all the way.' Hermione said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
  
'Thanks Hermione.' Harry said, but brushed her hand away. 'However, I don't think I'll be doing that.'  
  
'Why not? You're Harry Potter! You're famous! You have to!' Ron cried.  
  
'What, so there's some rule that says I have to be the hero? Is that it? Well Ron, if you know so much about the trapdoor, why don't you go down yourself?' Harry spat.  
  
'Because you're the smart one, you're the powerful one, Harry, YOU, not me, not Hermione, but you.' Ron re-inforced him.  
  
'But I have a good life, why would I want to jeopardise it?' Harry asked.  
  
'Well Harry, if you don't see the point, then I don't see the point,' Hermione said. 'We'll just let the stone be stolen, Snape will run it off to You-Know-Who, and chaos will take over the world. Come on Ron.' Hermione finished, pulling Ron out of the Gryffindor Common Room leaving Harry to think about what she had just said.  
  
Snape had always struck Harry as the sneaky, Death Eater type, but now that Hermione had actually said it, she was right. Snape could very well be working for Voldemort, and Harry most certainly did not want his life ruined by some evil old crankpot excuse for a wizard. Something had to be done. Harry would go down the trapdoor.  
  
~***~  
  
Andrea sat in the Slytherin dorms. Caprice came in, and sat opposite from her. The two Slytherin girls stared at eachother for a few minutes before Caprice finally spoke.  
  
'We're not so different, you and I.' Andrea stared at her blankly. 'If I knew what you knew I would have told Harry as well. He does seem like the kind of person who will get out there and do something about everything.' Caprice explained.  
  
'Oh.'  
  
'I am sorry for thinking that you were an outcast.' Caprice said.  
  
'Think nothing of it, everyone thinks that, especially now that my only friend is a half- Oh never mind.' Andrea trailed off and refused to say anything more. Caprice walked out of the dorms and into the Slytherin Common Room, wishing more than ever that she knew the Gryffindor password so that she could go see Harry. Instead, she settled for a brisk walk around Hogwarts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* I hope I explained Andrea alright, basically she's friends with Hagrid and found out the information much like they did in the book. I'm trying to make out that Harry doesn't want his life to dramatically change, because he likes the way it is. Please review everyone! Sorry about this chapter, it was probably very short, but the next one should be more interesting, I'm moving onto the Mirror of Erised. *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	15. Mirror Of Erised

Reality Check  
  
~* Hey guys, I hope you all liked that last chapter. I have decided on giving Harry and Caprice a form of communication, because they can't run into eachother at night every single time I need them to meet up! Here's the chapter. *~  
  
Chapter 15 ~ Mirror Of Erised  
  
Christmas was near, and the air was chilly and frosty. Though the Great Hall and Gryffindor Common Room had roaring fires, the corridors and classrooms had become icy, and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's lessons in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.  
  
'I do feel sorry,' said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, 'for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home.' He shot a glance at Harry. Caprice laughed along with Crabbe and Goyle. Harry tactically ignored them, especially Caprice.  
  
It was true that Harry wouldn't be going to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. Ron would also be staying, but Hermione and Caprice would be leaving. Harry didn't know how he would manage the whole holidays without Caprice.  
  
When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound could be heard. Harry, Hermione and Ron approached the tree cautiously.  
  
'All righ' Harry.' Hagrid said, seeing Harry and his two friends.  
  
'All right Hagrid, you know Ron, and Hermione, my friends.' Harry said, introducing them.  
  
'Hi.'  
  
'Hi, nice to meet you.' Hermione and Ron each shook Hagrid's large hand in turn.  
  
'Hagrid was the one who took me to Diagon Alley to get my supplies when I arrived late to Hogwarts.' Harry explained, noticing the confused looks on Ron's and Hermione's faces.  
  
'Nice ter meet you both.' Hagrid said, and formed a smile behind his bushy beard.  
  
'Would you like some help with that tree?' Harry asked.  
  
'Nah, I'm right, thanks, Harry.' Hagrid replied.  
  
'Would you mind moving out of the way?' came Malfoy's cold drawl. Malfoy, Caprice, Crabbe and Goyle walked up and formed a circle around the three Gryffindors.  
  
'I'd best get going, not wanting to hold up the pathway.' Hagrid said cheerfully, not knowing that Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't particularly want him to leave them surrounded by four Slytherins. Harry motioned for his friends to say nothing, Hermione, however, could not contain herself from saying anything.  
  
'You are so two-faced, Caprice Jenkins.' She said harshly.  
  
'Shoosh.' Harry warned her, shooting her a nasty look which made sure that Hermione said nothing.  
  
'You would say that, wouldn't you Granger.' Malfoy spat.  
  
'What's that supposed to mean Malfoy?' Ron jumped in. 'At least Hermione has real friends.'  
  
'Are you threatening me, Weasley? Trying to score some points with that oaf? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself one day? I suppose, that old hut of Hagrid's must be a palace compared to what your family's used to.' Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.  
  
'WEASLEY!' Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.  
  
'He was provoked, Professor Snape, Malfoy was insulting his family!' Hermione said defensively.  
  
'Five points from Gryffindor, Mr Weasley, fighting is against the school rules. As for you, Hermione, a further five points from Gryffindor for sticking your nose in things which need not for you to stick your nose in.' Snape said coldly.  
  
Malfoy, Caprice, Crabbe and Goyle pushed past the three Gryffindors smirking.  
  
'I hate him!' Ron yelled as soon as they were all out of earshot. 'I'll get him, one of these days I'll get him.'  
  
'I hate them both, Malfoy and Snape.' Harry said.  
  
'I hate Caprice.' Hermione finalised. Harry shot her a look.  
  
'How can you hate Caprice?'  
  
'How can you be friends with her? She's a monster! She's your "friend" one minute and then she laughs at you with Malfoy!'  
  
'She's much nicer than you, Hermione.' Harry said back.  
  
'Honestly, she's in Slytherin -'  
  
'You wouldn't say that if she was in Gryffindor -'  
  
'That's because if she was in Gryffindor, she wouldn't be in Slytherin!'  
  
'I don't understand this inter-house rivalry, I really don't.' Harry shook his head.  
  
'Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin had this petty feud when they built Hogwarts, it's tradition for Slytherins and Gryffindors not to be friendly towards eachother.' Hermione said stubbornly.  
  
'Well what if two people break that tradition? Would Hogwarts close? I think not.' Harry said.  
  
'People would look upon you two as freaks, and Caprice isn't a nice, sweet person when Slytherins are around, is she?' Hermione mocked.  
  
'Come on you guys, let's go down to the Great Hall,' Ron interrupted.  
  
'No, I think I'll go to bed.' Harry said rudely.  
  
'But it's three in the afternoon?' Ron said curiously. Harry just shot him a death stare and walked off in the direction of the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
~***~  
  
The Christmas holidays had started, much sooner than Harry would have liked. He had said a teary goodbye to Caprice as she had left on the Hogwarts Express. He would miss her a lot. On Christmas Eve, Harry went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and fun, not expecting any presents at all. However, when he woke early the next morning, there was a small pile of presents at the end of his bed.  
  
'Happy Christmas.' Ron said sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled his dressing gown on.  
  
'You too, would you look at this? I've got some presents!'  
  
'Well what did you expect, turnips?' said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's.  
  
Harry picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it said "To Harry, From Hagrid". Inside was a roughly-cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. Harry blew it - it sounded a bit like an owl.  
  
A second, very small parcel contained a note.  
  
We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.  
  
Sellotaped to the note was a fifty-pence piece. Harry threw it aside.  
  
'Well that's Hagrid and my aunt and uncle, so who are these from?' Harry glanced at the remaining presents.  
  
'I think I know who that one's from.' Ron said, eyeing a lumpy present. 'My mum. I told her that you didn't expect any presents and - oh no, she's made you a Weasley jumper.' Harry had torn open the present to reveal an Emerald green jumper, to match his eyes, and a large box of home made fudge.  
  
The next present he opened was from Hermione, a large box of chocolate frogs. Harry then spotted a rather large one, from Caprice.  
  
'See,' Harry pointed to it. 'She is nice.'  
  
'I never said she wasn't, that's Hermione who said she's not nice.' Ron replied, sticking his hands up defensively. Harry ripped open the present to reveal a plain brown box. He carefully opened the box to reveal a broomstick. Ron and Harry both gasped.  
  
'She bought me a Nimbus 2000!' Harry cried, hardly daring to believe his friend's actions.  
  
'Now you don't have to use the school broom when you play Quidditch!' Ron said in absolute awe. Harry felt guilty at the silver necklace he had bought for his friend with matching earings. She had gone way out of her way to buy him this broom, and he had bought her only a small thing. Just as Harry was about to turn to the last present, he saw an owl at the window. Ron opened the window, and the owl dropped a note in Harry's hand, before flying back into the cold air outside. A ring fell out of the note as Harry opened it. Harry read the letter out loud.  
  
'Dear Harry,  
  
Have you opened your present yet? I hope you like it! I love the necklace and matching earings you bought me! Thank-you lots!  
  
I am having a good time with my parents, but I would be having more fun if you were here with me! I asked mum and dad, and they said that it would be okay if you wanted to come and stay with us for the next holidays we get? I'll talk to you about it when school starts again.  
  
Oh, I almost forgot, that ring that was in there is a Communication Ring. You have one, and I have one. Every time we need to chat just rub the small red ruby, and my Emerald will flash, and vice versa. My parents used them when they were at Hogwarts.  
  
Have a great Christmas, and I'll see you as soon as I get back!  
  
Lots of love, Caprice.'  
  
'Cool, she is a good friend.' Ron said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.  
  
'Told you, oh, I almost forgot about the last present.' Harry slipped the ring on his finger and turned to the last present he had. He picked it up and felt it. It was very light. He unwrapped it. Something fluid and silvery-grey went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming in folds. Ron gasped.  
  
'I've heard of those, that's an invisibility cloak! They are really rare and really valuable!' Ron dropped his box of Berty Botts Every Flavour Beans. 'Go on, try it on.' Harry pulled the water-like cloak over his shoulders. He looked down at his feet, but they had disappeared. Harry's head floated in what appeared to be mid air.  
  
'There's a note!' Harry said, spying a piece of parchment which fell out of the cloak.  
  
Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. A very Merry Christmas to you.  
  
'There's no name.' Harry said blankly.  
  
'I'd give anything for one of those.' Ron said, admiring Harry's cloak, but Harry was deep in thought of who could have given him such a gift. Use it well, the words played in Harry's head over and over.  
  
~***~  
  
That night, Harry decided to try out his cloak. He slipped out of the Grffindor Common Room while everyone was asleep, and into the corridors of Hogwarts. He wandered around the many passages, wondering how much of Hogwarts he could explore. Harry wanted to find a nice place where he and Caprice could meet, so he searched.  
  
Eventually he found the perfect place. It was a large, cold stoney looking room that was barely furnished. The only thing good about the room was that it was secret, and there was this large mirror in the middle. Harry walked over to the mirror and read the fine writing along the frame: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.  
  
In the mirror, Harry saw a tall, thin man with scruffy black hair and glasses standing behind him. Next to him stood a woman with dark red hair, and emerald eyes, much like Harry's. Harry edged closer to the mirror, glancing behind him, seeing no-one. He turned back to the mirror, and there they were.  
  
'Mum? Dad?' Harry whispered. The two people just smiled at him. How long he stood there, he did not know, the reflections did not fade and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his senses. He couldn't stay here, he had to find his way back to bed.  
  
'I'll come back.' He whispered to his parents, and tore out of the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*  
  
~* How did everyone like that chapter? Caprice is finally gone. . . very sad. Anyways, please review guys! Love you all! *~  
  
~Gryffindor Gal~ 


	16. Secret Meetings

Reality Check

~* I worked out how to do itailcs/bold/underline now, so this story should look better from now on. I'm very sorry that I haven't updated this for ages, but I have been quite tied up with my new fiction, Cast Away. *~

****

Chapter 16 ~ Private Meetings

Harry sat in the Great Hall picking at his eggs. Ron was no where to be seen, so Harry was by himself. Dumbledore had caught Harry going to the Mirror of Erised, and warned him away from it. 

Harry heard a noise and looked up in time to see Andrea walking towards him. 

'Oh good, Ron's not here, I don't really fancy him that much,' Andrea said. 

'What do you need?' Harry asked, looking back down to his eggs. Andrea swung her legs over the bench and sat opposite Harry. She dropped a large book on the desk, _Hogwarts: A History_. 

'This has information about the maker of the Philosopher's Stone,' Andrea explained, and opened the thick book to one of its many pages. Harry eyed the book curiously. 

'Go on…' He urged. 

'Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone. The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixer of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. 

There have been reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the stone currently in existance belongs to Mr Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera-lover. Mr Flamel, who celecbrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).' Andrea finished reading. 

'So the dog is guarding the Philosopher's Stone?' Harry asked, making sure he understood it. 

'That's right.' Andrea said smugly. 

'A stone that makes gold and stops you ever dying, no wonder Snape wants it,' Harry said. 

'Snape?' Andrea asked. 

'Hermione said that Snape is after the stone,' Harry informed her. 

~***~

Holidays finished quite abruptly, and before Harry knew it, Caprice was back, cheerful as ever. He knew he had to speak to her before the night was out, so he rubbed the ruby on his gold ring, and took off to the arranged destination, the clump of trees near the Forbidden Forrest. 

Caprice arrived a few minutes after Harry, and wrapped him in a big hug as soon as she got there. 

'Did you have a great Christmas?' She asked happily. 

'Yes, thank you for the Nimbus 2000,' Harry said gratefully. 

'Not a problem, I thought you could do with a good broom!' Caprice grinned. 

'I needed to talk to you about something,' Harry said, and proceeded to inform Caprice of the new information Andrea had given him on the holidays. 

'Wow, that's interesting, so when are you going to go get the stone so that old Snape doesn't get it?' Caprice asked when he had finished explaining everything.

'I don't know,' Harry replied, as he did, the pair noticed a cloaked figure walk swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible towards the forbidden forest. Harry recognised the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner - what was going on? 

'Look,' Caprice pointed at Snape, she had seen him too. 

'Let's follow,' Harry replied, grabbing Caprice's wrist and leading her into the forest after Snape. They reached a shadowy clearing, and stood back while Snape spoke to another person, Quirrell. 

'… d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet me here of all p-places, Severus…' Quirrell stammered. 

'Oh, I thought we'd keep this private,' said Snape, his voice icy. 'Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all.' 

Harry and Caprice leant slightly forward, Quirrell was muttering something, but Snape interrupted him. 

'Have you found out how to get past that beast yet?' 

'B-b-but Severus, I -' 

'You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell,' said Snape, taking a step towards him. 

'I-I don't know what you -' 

'You know perfectly well what I mean,' 

An owl hooted, causing Caprice and Harry to snap out of listening to Snape and Quirrell. They turned their eyes back to the clearing just in time to hear snape say , ' - well, we will have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think about where your loyalties lie.' 

Snape threw on his cloak, and stalked out of the clearing, right past Caprice and Harry. They both held their breaths and waited until he was out of sight before they moved. They headed back the way they came, back to their clump of trees. 

'It seems like Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get the stone, he asked about Fluffy, and I think there are more things guarding the stone than just the dog.' Harry said when he was sure no one was around to hear it. 

'So you mean the stone's only safe while Quirrell stands up to Snape?' Caprice asked. 

'It'll be gone by next Tuesday.' Harry said. 

~***~

Quirrell, however, must have been braver than they thought. In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as if he had cracked yet. Harry had forgiven Ron and Hermione, he wouldn't have anyone to talk to in Gryffindor otherwise. Everytime Caprice or Harry walked past the third floor corridor, they would press their ears against the door to see if Fluffy was still standing strong. 

Hermione was stressing about exams, even though they were ten weeks away. She said something about it being only a second to Nicholas Flamel. Harry and Ron didn't pay much attention to what she was rambling on about anyway, something about having to pass exams to get into second year. 

Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione, piling on the homework so that the Easter holidays wouldn't be as much fun as the Christmas holidays. It was hard to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Harry and Ron spent most of their time in the library with her, trying to get through all their extra work. Harry barely had any time for Caprice. 

But she passed him one day between classes, and slipped him a little scrunched up ball of paper. Harry noticed Malfoy was with her, explaining why she barged into him rather than stopped for a chat. Harry uncrumpled the parchment and read what she had to say. 

__

Dear Harry,

Mum just told me something about the rings, you can press the stone in, and it will click. Then my face will replace your stone, and your face will replace mine. It's a great way to talk incase we can't sneak away from our separate friends. 

Love Caprice.

Harry finished reading the note, _That sounds like a good idea, _he thought to himself, and headed to class. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

~* I don't know what else to write in this chapter, so I'll appologise for the shortness of it, and the lateness! Have a Merry Christmas everyone! *~

~Gryffindor Gal~


	17. Dragons

Reality Check

~* Hey, I realise that I have been neglecting the main story line in Philosopher's Stone, so I think I should get right on to that. I hope you don't mind! *~ 

****

Chapter 17 ~ Dragons

Quirrell deserved more credit than Harry and Caprice had given him. In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as though he had cracked yet.

Snape still swept around the castle bad tempered, which was a sure sign that the stone was safe. Whenever Harry passed Quirrell, he would give an encouraging smile, and Caprice had taken to snapping at whoever laughed at his stutter. Although the pair were extremely close, and wanting to be in this together all the way, they kept their secret relationship, well, secret. 

Exams were in ten weeks, and they were running out of time. If Snape was planning on stealing the stone, he would waste as little time as possible. 

Hermione and Ron were the two people Harry spent most of his time with in the public eye. He would have much rather been spending time with Caprice, having fun alone, rather than be in the library with Hermione and Ron, Hermione continually nagging about studying for the upcoming exams. 

'Hermione, the exams are ages away!' Ron complained one afternoon in the library. Hermione, being the smart, nosy witch she was, had easily figured out about Nicholas Flamel, and told Ron and Harry, thinking that Harry hadn't already found out. 

'Ten weeks, that's not ages, that's like a second to Nicholas Flamel,' Hermione snapped. 

'But we aren't six hundred years old, remember?' Ron reminded her, earning himself a glare. 'Besides, what are you studying for, you already know it all,' 

'What am I studying for? Are you mad? You realise these exams are very important, and we need to pass them to get into second year, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me…' 

Unfortunately, the teachers began thinking along the same lines as Hermione, piling the homework onto the students so that the Easter Holidays weren't nearly as fun as the Christmas ones. Caprice was staying for the Easter Holidays, thinking that Harry would need her around, and it would give her some more time to study. 

Moaning and yawning, Harry and Ron spent most of their spare time in the library with Hermione, trying to get through all their extra work. Surprisingly, it was Harry who complained the most, not Ron. He complained about the amount of time he had to spend sitting around listening to Hermione study, not being able to go and see Caprice. 

'Well if Caprice is so _great_, why don't you go study with her?' Hermione said sarcastically. 'She's not a smart witch, I've seen her grades, they aren't looking good,' 

'Yeah Harry, besides, she's hanging around Malfoy and his lot,' Ron pointed out. 

~***~

'Oh this is pointless! I'll never remember all of this in time for the exams,' Harry exclaimed one afternoon in the library. He looked out the window and longed to be on the grounds with Caprice, having fun, not a care in the world. It was the first really fine day they had experienced in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming. 

Harry didn't look away from the window until he heard Ron say; 'Hagrid! What are you doing in the Library?' 

Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked extremely out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

'Jus' lookin',' He said, in a shifty voice that got their attention at once. 'An' what are you lot up ter?' He looked suddenly suspicious. 'Yer not still lookin' fer Nicholas Flamel, are yeh?' 

'Oh, we found out about him ages ago,' Ron boasted, 'And we also know what that dog's guarding, the Philosopher's St-' 

'_Shhh_,' Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone had overheard what Ron had stupidly blurted out. 'Come and see me later, I'm not prominin' I'll tell yer anythin', but don't go rabbiting on about it, students aren't s'pposed to know. They'll think I've told yer -' 

'See you later then,' Harry said, and Hagrid shuffled off. He went back to looking out the window and longing to spend time with Caprice. He hadn't had a decent time with her since the night where they had seen Snape and Quirrell, and he missed her greatly. 

~***~

When the trio arrived at Hagrid's hut that night, they were surprised to see all the curtains closed. 

'Who is it?' Hagrid called before he let them in and shut the door quickly behind him, glancing around to see if they had been followed. It was stifling hot inside, even though it was such a warm night, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them some tea and offered some sandwiches, which they refused politely. 

'Hagrid, is there anything besides Fluffy guarding the stone?' Hermione asked, sipping her tea. 

'Could you tell us if you know?' Harry added. 

'O'course I can't, firstly I don' know meself, and secondly yer know too much already, so I wouldn't tell yer if I could. That stone's here for a good reason, it was almost stolen outta Gringotts - I suppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know about Fluffy,' 

'Oh come on Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you _do _know, you know everything that goes on around here,' Hermione said in a warm, flattering voice. Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. 'We only wondered who had _done _the guarding, really,' Hermione continued. 'We wondered who Dumbledore trusted enough to help him, apart from you,' 

Hagrid's chest swelled at those last words, and Ron and Harry beamed at Hermione, she could really use her brain when she wanted to. 

'Well, I don't suppose it would hurt ter tell yer… lets see… he borrowed Fluffy from me … then some o' the teachers did enchantment's … Professor Sprout - Professor Flitwick - Professor McGonagall -' He ticked them off on his fingers, 'Professor Quirrell - an' Dumbledore himself did something, o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape,' 

'_Snape_?' 

'Yeah, yer not still on about that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped _protect _the stone, he's not about ter steal it,' 

Harry began to thinking, if Snape was one of the teachers _protecting_ the stone, if must have been easy for him to gather information on the other spells guarding it. He probably knew everything - except as it appeared, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy. 

'You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you Hagrid?' Hermione asked anxiously. 'And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?' 

'Not a soul knows except for me an' Dumbledore,' Hagrid said, beaming proudly. 

'Say, Hagrid, can we have a window open? It's boiling in here,' Harry said, fidgeting. 

'Can't, Harry, sorry,' Hagrid glanced at the fire. Harry glanced at it too. 

'What's that?' Harry asked.

'I know what that it, that's a Dragon's egg! Where'd you get it? It must have cost a fortune!' Ron exclaimed. 

~***~

'Oh Harry! Please! Please!' Caprice begged with big puppy dog eyes. Harry had told her about the Dragon, which Hagrid had named Norbert. 'Come on Harry, you can't just tell me about this dragon and then not let me see it!' Harry sighed. 

'Well, Ron's sent a letter to his brother who studies Dragons in Romania, and we are going to take the dragon to the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday.

'Let me go!' Caprice begged. 

'I don't know, with my invisibility cloak, there'll only be enough room for two people and Norbert,' 

'Who?' 

'The dragon,' 

'Oh, but you and me could go?' Caprice looked up at Harry, and he just couldn't say no. 

'Trouble is, convincing Ron and Hermione, one of them will want to go, most likely Ron,' Harry told her. 

'They'll be no trouble, just tell them that - oh no!' Caprice suddenly stopped, looking very much like she remembered something important, and bad. 

'What?' Harry asked, curiosity finally getting the better of him. 

'I just realised that Malfoy's been going on about a dragon!' 

'That can't be good,' Harry said bitterly. 'What are the odds he's talking about Hagrid's dragon? How many dragon's can one school have, after all,' 

'Oh, if only I'd paid more attention to the git,' Caprice paused to think, biting her tongue in concentration. 'Oh no! He knows that you are going on Saturday!' 

'What? How does he know?' 

'I don't know, something about a book he stole from Weasley containing a letter,' Caprice replied. 

'He's got Charlie's letter! This is bad,' Harry said. 

'Too late to change your plans now though, right? Those people coming to get the dragon would be halfway here by now!' Caprice pointed out. 

'You're right, it may be dangerous, but we have to go through with it,' Harry agreed. 

'You still have to convince those ruddy Gryffindors that I'm going, not them,' Caprice pouted. 

'Fine, I'll do it now, meet me at Hagrid's Hut on Saturday night at eleven thirty,' Harry instructed. 'Oh, and make sure you aren't seen by Malfoy,' He warned. 

'Don't worry, I won't be,' 

'Be careful though, Malfoy's going to be prowling around that night,' Harry said. Caprice giggled. 

'I'll be fine, Mister Potter,' Caprice gave him a quick peck on the cheek and skipped away. 

~***~

Harry had just told Hermione and Ron that he planned on taking Caprice to release Norbert. 

'Are you out of your mind?' Hermione cried. 

'That girl's flaming mental! She'll be sure to get you caught!' Ron yelled. 

'Harry, I really think I should go, there'll be less chance of you getting caught by Malfoy,' Hermione said politely. 

'How do you know that Malfoy knows?' Harry asked, eyeing the pair suspiciously. 

'The letter was in the book Malfoy stole from me,' Ron answered. 

'Harry, don't be a fool, don't take Caprice just because she wants to see a dragon,' Hermione tried to reason with him, but Harry would not be swayed. 

'It's not fair on her, we all got to see a dragon, she just wants to see him, that's all,' Harry argued. 

'Stop defending her! She's a cold hearted Slytherin,' Ron fumed. 

'Leave her alone!' Harry shouted. 

'Harry, Ron, stay calm, Ron, just let Harry take Caprice,' Hermione said. 

'No!' Ron argued. 

__

'Ron,' Hermione warned. 

'Fine, take your stupid Slytherin friend,' Ron grumbled and marched up the boys staircase. Hermione turned to Harry. 

'I certainly hope you know what you're doing, trusting a Ditzy Slytherin with a task as important as this,' Hermione said haughtily. 

'Caprice isn't some Ditzy Slytherin, if she'd known I was coming here, I bet anything she would have been in Gryffindor!' Harry said. 

'What makes you sure? She was placed in Slytherin because -' 

'- She made friends with Malfoy on the first day! She didn't know any better,' Harry finnished Hermione's sentence for her. 

'Harry, you are so arrogant!' Hermione yelled in frustration. 'You need to _stop_ defending her!' 

'Leave her out of this,' Harry cried. 

'Caprice is the one who started all this mess in the first place! I wish she'd never been born,' Hermione snapped, before storming up the girls staircase. Harry tried to run after her in a fit of anger, but the staircase turned into a slide, and he simply slid to the bottom. Harry let his anger out in a loud scream, startling some people in the common room. 

'What are you looking at?' Harry growled at them. He grabbed his invisibility cloak and headed for Hagrid's Hut. 

~***~

After Caprice had cooed over the dragon, and Hagrid gotten rather cranky at Harry for bringing another student into this, as well as Malfoy, who was stalking around somewhere, Harry and Caprice lugged Norbert up many flights of stairs. 

'Oh no, Harry it's getting too heavy,' Caprice complained. 

'Nearly there,' Harry answered. 

'Can we have a break?' She asked. 

'No, we can't, midnight is creeping closer and we can't be late,' Harry said. 

'Fine,' Caprice muttered. They walked around a bend to find Malfoy being pulled by his ear by Professor McGonagall. 

'Detention!' She shouted. 'And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how _dare _you -' 

'You don't understand, Professor, Harry Potter's coming - he's got a dragon!' 

'What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on - I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!' 

The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after witnessing that ordeal. 

'Malfoy has detention!' Caprice yelped when they got into the open air, and had thrown off the invisibility cloak. 

Five minutes later, Charlie's friends swooped down on their broomsticks, and clicked Norbert's cage to a set of harnesses and buckles. They left quickly, and the dragon was gone. 

'I would have liked to see it once more,' Caprice said sadly. 

'Yeah, and have it bite your head off,' Harry said. 

'No it wouldn't have, he loved me,' Caprice re-assured Harry as they walked down the spiral staircase. As they reached the bottom, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness. 

'Well, well, well,' he whispered. 'We _are _in trouble,' 

They had left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

~* I thought I'd end it there, because that's where the chapter ends. Just one thing, I've had a few mentions about doing the rest of the books with Caprice in them, would anyone else like me to continue on with the series? Because Harry and Caprice will never hook up as eleven year olds, but in the future, you never know… some people asked me if this was going to be Harry/Caprice. *~

~Gryffindor Gal~


	18. Detention

Reality Check

~* Yes I know it's been a while, but I'll skip the detailed explanation of why, and just get straight to the chapter! *~

****

Chapter 18 ~ Detention

Harry and Caprice had been brought to Professor McGonagall's office, where they found Neville, and Malfoy. After Professor McGonagall gave some stern lectures, one hundred points were taken from each Slytherin and Gryffindor, and detentions were issued. 

'I expected better from all of you!' The stern Professor implied. 'Back to bed,' 

Harry and Caprice exchanged worried glances, before Harry went with Neville, and Caprice went with Malfoy. 

'What were you doing, Neville?' Harry asked as soon as they were out of earshot of Professor McGonagall. 

'I was trying to find you! Malfoy was talking, and I overheard him, he said that you had a Dragon, and that he was going to rat you out,' 

'Oh, I'm sorry Neville,' Harry said sympathetically. He had gotten Neville into trouble. 

'I just didn't want you to get into trouble,' Neville bowed his head. 

'And now we're all in trouble!' Harry exclaimed. 'Never mind, it could have been worse,'

One hundred points lost. That put Gryffindor in a bad position for the house cup, but at least Slytherin were in the same position. 

Harry didn't sleep all that night. All he could here were Neville's sobs into his pillow for what seemed like hours. Harry didn't know anything to say that could possibly bring comfort to the poor boy. He knew, like himself, Neville was dreading dawn. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out that they'd lost Gryffindor one hundred points. 

~***~

Pretty soon, the word had spread that Harry Potter, and some other stupid first year, had cost Gryffindor one hundred points. From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Gryffindors jeered at him, and made no secret of their taunts. Even Ron and Hermione had a hard time sticking by him. After all, Harry seemed to always brush them off for Caprice. 

It was too late to repair the damage done, and the only thing Harry could think of doing was offering resignation in the Quidditch team. 

'_Resign?_' Wood bellowed. 'What good'll that do? How are we supposed to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?' 

But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they called him _The Seeker._

The only person who stuck by him was Caprice. But there were limits with her, she wasn't allowed to see Harry, and especially not after Malfoy had found the two of them together that night when they were all caught. 

Amongst all the trauma, a week before the exams Harry had overheard Quirrell stammering to someone in a seemingly empty classroom. 

'No - no - not again, please -' Quirrell cried. It sounded like someone was threatening him. 'All right - all right -' He heard Quirrell sob. The next second, Quirrell rushed out of the classroom, looking pale, and straightening his turban. In his rush, Quirrell didn't even notice Harry. 

Harry peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry would have gambled twelve Philosopher's Stones that Snape had just left the room. It appeared that Quirrell had given in at last. 

He immediately rushed to the Great Hall, where Harry hoped to find Caprice, or at least someone who could tell him where she was. 

It seemed that Harry was having a bit of luck, because Caprice was sitting at the Slytherin table with some of her friends. Harry moved around behind her friends so that Caprice was the only one who could see him. He began to wave his hands frantically, and Caprice, taking the hint, excused herself from her friends. 

The pair rushed out into the Entrance Hall, and Caprice grabbed Harry's hand. 

'I guess this is important, or else you wouldn't look so frantic!' She said, and dragged him through the Slytherin Dungeons. 'I know a place,' 

'Where?' 

'Don't ask questions,' Caprice ordered, and led him through a maze of hallways and twisted corridors. 

When they finally reached the apparent destination, Caprice stopped and let go of Harry's hand. 

'So what's so important?' Caprice asked. 

'Well, I overheard Quirrell talking to Snape,' Harry proceeded to tell her about what he had just witnessed. 

'Oh no! He's snapped!' Caprice's eyes widened. 

'Don't worry too much, there's still Fluffy,' Harry said, trying to convince them both that all would be alright. 

'What if he's figured out how to get past Fluffy, even without Hagrid's help?' Caprice asked. 

'Not possible,' Harry said firmly. 

'How do you know?' Caprice asked. Harry looked around.

'Where are we?' He asked, changing the subject. 

'I don't really know myself, I just stumbled apon it one day and decided that it would be a good place for us to meet!' 

'That would seem kind of strange, a Gryffindor just walking into the Slytherin Dungeons,' Harry reasoned. 

'Well, okay, bad idea, but we need to find some special place that we can meet whenever we need to speak to eachother,' Caprice said. 

'Well, can't we just communicate through the rings?' Harry asked, indicating to his ruby stoned ring on his finger. 

'I guess, but it's more fun if we talked in person!' Caprice said, her eyes flashing with excitement. 'There's more thrill! We could get caught!' Harry laughed. 

'Look, Caprice, it's great that you still want to have fun, but I've just gotten myself into a whole lot of trouble with Gryffindor by losing all those points, and if I'm caught with you I'll be even more shunted aside,' Harry told her. Caprice's smile faded. 

'I know it's hard, but we've always managed before!' Caprice said, the glimmer of hope still lingering in her voice. 

'I have to get going, I'm sorry Caprice, I'll talk to you later okay?' Harry turned and walked out of the maze Caprice had led him.

~***~

Hermione and Ron were sitting in the Gryffindor common room. It seemed as though they had taken a lot of slack due to the fact that people considered them to be friends with Harry and Neville. Harry wandered in cautiously. No one so much as looked at him these days, they couldn't be bothered. He walked over and sat with Hermione and Ron. They both looked at him with nasty looks, before getting back to the homework they were doing. 

'Look,' Harry said after a few moments. 'I'm sorry about things, I just didn't want to lose my friendship with Caprice, and it seems that's what's happening anyway,' 

'So you turn to us because your little Slytherin is dumping you?' Hermione snorted. 

'No, that's not what's happened at all, Caprice and I are still friends, but we're going to lie low for a while because of the points we lost,' Harry lied. 

'So you need some quick friends?' Ron asked sarcastically. 

'No, I just was thinking about how I treated you, second to Caprice,' Harry admitted. 

'Well there's a first, you're admitting what you did was wrong,' Hermione said, but her tone had softened. 

'Well you're not going to run off to Caprice again, are you?' Ron asked. 

'No, me and her are just going to cool it for a while,' Harry told them. 

'Okay, we forgive you then,' Hermione said. 

~***~

The next morning at breakfast, Harry and Neville received twin letters. 

__

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall.

Prof. M. McGonagall

Harry had forgotten that they still had detentions to do over all the points they had lost. 

At eleven o'clock, Harry bid goodbye to Hermione and Ron, who waved in return, and went down to the Entrance Hall with Neville. Filch was already there, and so were Malfoy and Caprice. 

There was an awkward pause between Harry and Caprice. She had obviously got the message that they were to stay away from eachother for a while. Harry stuck with Neville as Filch led the four of them out into the grounds. 

'I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?' He said, leering at them. 'Oh yes… hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… it's just a pity that they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled just in case they're ever needed… right, off we go, and don't think of running off now, it'll be worse for you if you do,' 

They marched across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing and Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't have been so delighted. Then they heard a distant shout. 

'Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started,' 

Harry's heart rose, if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. His relief must have shown on his face, because Filch said; 'I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy - it's into the forest you're going, and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece,' 

At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Caprice and Malfoy stopped dead in their tracks. Harry knew that Caprice would have a thing or two to say about this prospect. 

'The forest?' Malfoy repeated, sounding less confident than usual. 

'I'm not going in there! There is no way you'll get me to go in there!' Caprice screeched. 

'We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves I've heard,' Malfoy continued. Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise. 

'That's your problem, isn't it?' Said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. 'You should have thought of those werewolves before you got into trouble, shouldn't you?' 

Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying a large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder. 

'I'll be back at dawn, for what's left of them,' He said nastily and started back towards the castle. 

Malfoy and Caprice now turned to Hagrid. 

'I'm not going in that forest,' Caprice whined. 

'Me neither,' Malfoy added. Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice. 

'Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts,' Hagrid said fiercely. 'Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it,' 

Malfoy didn't move, and Caprice showed no signs of co-operation either. Hagrid glared at the two Slytherins, and they finally bowed their heads in defeat. He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, Hagrid pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick, black trees. 

'Look there,' Hagrid said pointing to some silver shiney stuff on the ground. 'That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt bad by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery,' 

'No way! I love unicorns!' Caprice cried. 'I'm going to kill the bastard who's doing this!' With that, she took off down the track, running at full speed. 

'_Caprice_!' Harry yelled after her, and tried to run into the forest, but Hagrid grabbed his shoulder forcefully. 

'Don't be daft, we'll find her,' Hagrid growled, clearly furious. 'Malfoy, you go with Neville, Harry come with me. Send up red sparks if you're in trouble, and green sparks when you find Caprice. Don't forget, we're still looking for the unicorn so green sparks if you find the unicorn,' 

'I want Fang,' Malfoy ordered quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

'All right, but I warn yeh, he's a bloody coward,' Hagrid said.

'Come on!' Harry cried impatiently. 

'Be careful - lets go,' Hagrid said. 

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it, they reached a fork in the earth path and Harry and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville and Fang took the right. They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit up a spot of silver-blue blood on the ground. 

'Hagrid, we have to find her!' Harry pushed. 

'We're doin' the best we can, it's her own fault for runnin' off in the first place,' Hagrid grunted, clearly more focussed on the unicorn blood than finding Caprice. 

Suddenly, Hagrid stopped dead still. 

'GET BEHIND THAT TREE!' He seized Harry and hoisted him off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The two of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.

'What was that?' Harry asked, joining Hagrid on the path. 

'I knew it,' he murmured. 'There's summat in here that shouldn' be,' 

'A werewolf?' Harry suggested. 

'That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither,' said Hagrid grimly. 'Right, follow me, but careful, now,' 

'It might have been Caprice?' Harry said, and picked up his walking pace.

'Slow down, don' go disturbing things that don' wanna be disturbed,' Hagrid ordered, and Harry walked behind him obediently. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved. 

'Who's there?' Hagrid called. 'Show yerself - I'm armed!' 

Into the clearing came Caprice, closely followed by a half man, half horse, who was pushing her violently. She stumbled over a tree root and sprawled onto the ground sobbing. Harry rushed to her side. 

'Get off me!' Caprice said harshly and jumped to her feet, brushing her robes free of twigs. 

'You had me so worried,' Harry said, looking down at her. He noticed that her glasses had some cracks on the delicate glass, and her face covered in cuts. Her normally straight hair was a mess, and blood was dripping from a tear in her sleeve. 'What happened?' 

'Nothing,' Caprice snapped, and turned her back on Harry to see that Hagrid was talking to the centaur. 

'Oh, it's you, Ronan,' 

'Good evening to you, Hagrid,' said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. 'Were you going to shoot me?' 

'Can't be too careful,' Hagrid said, patting his crossbow. 'There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter and Caprice Jenkins, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, he's a centaur,' 

'We'd noticed,' Caprice said harshly. Ronan flung his head back and stared into the sky. 

'Mars is bright tonight.' 

'Yeah,' Hagrid agreed, glancing up. 'Listen, thanks for finding this runaway,' He motioned to Caprice. 'She was trying to find a hurt unicorn,' 

'I know, she seemed to think that I was the thing hurting the beautiful creature,' Ronan replied. 

'Have you seen anythin'?' Hagrid asked. Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upwards, then sighed again. 

'Always the innocent are the first victims,' he said. 'So it has been for ages past, so it is now,' 

'Yeah,' said Hagrid, 'But have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anything unusual?' 

'Mars is bright tonight,' Ronan repeated while Hagrid watched him impatiently. A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black haired and bodied and wilder looking than Ronan. 

'Hullo, Bane,' Hagrid said. 'All right?' 

'Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?' Bane replied. 

'Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? Only there's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about it?' Hagrid asked hopefully. Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skywards. 

'Mars is bright tonight,' He said simply. 

'So we've heard,' Hagrid said grumpily. 'Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know won't yeh? We'll be off then,' 

Hagrid grabbed Caprice by her robes at the back of her neck, and led her away, Harry following closely. After they'd gone a fair way, Hagrid knocked Caprice forward, and she stumbled over. Caprice turned onto her back to face Hagrid who loomed over her. 

'Don't yeh _ever_ try another stunt like that! Yeh could've been killed!' Hagrid boomed. 'Lucky Ronan found you before summat else did…' 

Hagrid walked on, stepping past Caprice. Harry helped her up and the two of them, scared stiff, followed Hagrid. The two of them kept quiet, not wanting to enrage Hagrid further. When suddenly Caprice yelled out; 

'Look, red sparks! The others are in trouble!' 

'You two wait here!' Hagrid shouted. 'Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!' They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at eachother, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them. 

'You don't think they've been hurt?' Caprice whispered. 

'I don't care if Malfoy has, but it's my fault Neville's here in the first place, if something's got him…' Harry trailed off. 

'I want to find that son of a bitch that's hurting the unicorn,' Caprice turned to stray off the path in search, but Harry grabbed her arm. 

'No, Caprice! We have to stay here!' 

'And just wait for something to come and eat us?' Caprice said. 

'Yes,' Harry replied, and pulled her closer to him so that she wouldn't run away. Minutes later, Hagrid returned. Malfoy, Neville and Fang were with him, and Hagrid looked angrier than before. Malfoy, it seemed, had snuck up behind Neville and grabbed him for a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks. 

'We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with that racket that you two were makin'. Right, we're changing groups - Neville, you stay with me an' Caprice, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot,' Hagrid said. 'I'm sorry,' He added in a whisper. 'But he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done,' 

So Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. 

'Look, Potter, I want to know what's going on with you and Jenkins,' Malfoy snarled. Harry didn't get the opportunity to answer, because they came across something white and gleaming on the ground. They inched closer. 

It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry had never seen anything to beautiful and sad. Its long slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread on the dark leaves. 

A slithering sound made the boys freeze. Out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, it lowered its head over the wound in the animals side, and began to drink its blood. 

'AAAAAAARGH!' Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted - so did Fang. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

~* The next chapter will be posted soon, I cut this chapter shorter than the one in the book because there's too much stuff that I've taken directly from the book. The next chapter will have the meeting with Firenze and some original stuff. *~

~Gryffindor Gal~


	19. Through The Trapdoor

Reality Check

Don't have much to say here, so I'll get on with writing that chapter. Thanks to all who are still keeping up with this fiction.

****

Chapter 19 Through The Trapdoor

The hooded figure raised its head and looked directly at Harry. His scar burned horrifically, sending a searing pain throughout his entire body. The figure got to its feet and swiftly glided towards him, Harry couldn't move for fear. He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over him, charging at the figure.

The pain in Harry's head was so bad that he fell to his knees. It took a minute or two to pass, and when he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger, with white blonde hair and a palomino body.

'Are you alright?' Asked the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.

'Yes, thank you, but what _was _that?' Harry replied, brushing some twigs off his robes. The centaur did not answer. He looked at Harry carefully, eyes lingering on his scar which stood out vividly on his forehead.

'You're the Potter boy,' He said. 'You had better get back to Hagrid, the forest is not safe at this time.'

'The forest isn't safe at any time,' Harry said, attempting a joke. The centaur did not even smile.

'Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.' He made a gesture to his bare back. 'My name is Firenze by the way,' He added as he lowered himself onto his front legs so that Harry could climb onto his back. There was a sudden sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing as Ronan and Bane came crashing through the trees.

'Firenze!' Bane thundered. 'What are you doing? You have a common human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?'

'Do you know who this is?' said Firenze. 'This is the Potter boy, and the sooner he leaves the forest the better.'

'What have you told him?' Bane growled. Ronan pawed the ground nervously.

'I'm sure Firenze acted as he thought was best.'

Firenze, apparently, did not want to stay and get in conflict with the other two centaurs, as he turned and galloped off away from the clearing. Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.

'Why's Bane so angry?' Harry asked. Firenze stopped.

'Do you know what unicorn blood is used for?' He asked.

'No, we've only used unicorn hairs and their horns in potions,' Harry replied.

'That is because it is a monstrous crime to slay a unicorn. Only one who has nothing to lose and everything to gain would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save your own life and you will have a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.'

'But who would be so desperate as to do such a thing?' Harry wondered aloud.

'Mr Potter, do you know what is hidden at the school at this very moment?' Firenze asked.

'The Philosopher's Stone, of course, but what does that have to do with it?' Harry replied in confusion.

'Can you think of no one who would want to get their hands on that stone? Somebody who has been waiting many years to return to power?'

'Are you saying that the figure back there was _Vol_-'

'Harry! _Harry!_ Are you alright?' Caprice sprinted over and lept up over Firenze's back, tackling Harry to the ground in a hug.

'Caprice, where are the others?' Harry asked as he tried to push Caprice off his stomach.

'They were right behind me a minute ago, I guess they don't have the stamina for cross country!' Caprice let out a small giggle as Hagrid, Malfoy and Neville rushed into the area.

'The unicorn's dead, Hagrid,' Harry began.

'I know, we went through there on our way ter find you.' Hagrid replied sadly. Harry gave Firenze a look of gratitude before he galloped off into the forest.

Caprice turned back to Harry, a concerned look in her eyes.

'What happened?' She asked, pulling her glasses off as they were smashed and useless. Harry took his wand out and muttered a spell.

'Hermione has done that to my glasses so many times,' He muttered.

'Thanks,' Caprice said, realising that Harry wouldn't say anything while the other three were around.

'C'mon the lot of yer.' Hagrid grunted leading the four first years out of the forest. Neville stuck with Harry, while Caprice allowed herself to be dragged away by Malfoy.

'Jenkins!' Bellowed Malfoy when they arrived back at the Slytherin common room. Caprice slunk back, she knew that Malfoy had been bottling up his anger until they had returned to the common room, and now she was going to get it. 'How dare you be concerned about Potter!'

Caprice drew herself up to full height, which was still about four inches shorter than Malfoy, and puffed out her chest trying to look tough. Malfoy laughed at the petty sight.

'Why do you treasure him so?' Malfoy asked.

'I don't,' Caprice said stubbornly.

'Don't lie to me Jenkins, I don't like liars,' Malfoy hissed dangerously. 'I saw the way you were acting with Potter back there, and he was the same. You were both worried about eachother, and when I came and said that a thing was after him, you almost cried.'

'You look too deeply into such matters,' Caprice said, brushing off the accusations like they meant nothing.

'No, I'm definitely right on this, and I suggest that if you value your house loyalties at all, _stay away from Potter_,' Malfoy growled and stalked off to bed. Caprice pouted at his back as he retreated. Nevertheless, Caprice didn't go to the girls dorms, instead she hurried out of the common room and up the many flights of stairs to the seventh floor, where she knew the Gryffindor common room was. She rubbed her ring and urged Harry to hurry.

Seconds later, the portrait swung open to reveal nothing. Caprice looked confused, until she was pulled under Harry's invisibility cloak.

'I thought we left this in the astronomy tower?' Caprice asked.

'Yes, but I found it under my bed sheets with a note which said _Just in case_.' Harry told her. Suddenly, Caprice started to cry. Harry looked down at her, with a concerned look on his face.

'What's the matter?' He asked.

'Oh, it's awful!' Caprice sobbed.

'What is?'

'Putting up with … _him_.' She said. 'He yelled at me as soon as we got back to the common room, and he accused me of being to worried about you when he said that something was after you.' Harry gave her a hug, attempting to comfort his friend.

'It's okay,' Harry said.

'No, it's not, and it never will be!' She wailed. 'Why do I have to be in Slytherin!'

'You'll be fine, don't worry,' Harry reassured her.

'I don't want to live with him for the next six years! This year's been bad enough,' Caprice said. Harry didn't know what he could say which would make things right.

'You're a Slytherin at heart Caprice, or else the hat wouldn't have put you there.'

'I don't want to be one of them.' Caprice said stubbornly.

'Then by the end of Hogwarts, you will be a very good actor.' Harry told her with a smile. Caprice wiped her eyes and laughed a small bit.

'Thanks Harry, you can always make me feel better,' She told him.

'Besides, there isn't long now before the holidays start, and when we get back home we'll be together again for the whole time! No Malfoy, Ron or Hermione to worry about.' Harry said to her. 'But before the end I might need your help with something.'

'Anything,'

'Well, tonight, I learned that Snape might be after the stone not for himself, but for Voldemort. So I'm thinking that I might have to go down the trapdoor and stop Snape from getting his hands on that stone.' Harry said.

'You're only a first year! What are you going to do to stop Snape if he wants to take the stone?' Caprice asked.

'I don't know, but I'll think of something. Right now I'm sure that I need to stop him from taking the stone and getting Voldemort eternal life.'

'So what do you need my help with?' Caprice asked, already knowing the answer to her question. Harry looked in her soft brown eyes, twinkling with excess tear drops behind her fragile glasses.

'I want you to come with me down the trapdoor.' Harry said softly.

'You're joking?' Ron exclaimed after Harry had finished telling Ron and Hermione about the previous night's events.

'No Ron, I'm serious,' Harry said.

'Well, what are we going to do?' Hermione asked.

'We have to go and stop You-Know-Who from getting his hands on the You-Know-What,' Ron mocked.

'This is serious Ron!' Harry cried. 'What if Snape succeeds? What if he does come back?'

'This isn't our problem Harry, this should be handled by teachers, not three first years,' Hermione reasoned.

'Correction; four first years,' Harry said. Hermione and Ron narrowed their eyes.

'All the more reason not to go,' Ron scowled.

'If you two won't help me then Caprice will,' Harry threatened.

'We don't want to hear about _her_,' Hermione said in a low tone of voice.

'She's a Slytherin, Harry, _Slytherin!_ Does that mean nothing to you?' Ron said.

'No, because I know the real Caprice, not a girl labelled by her house.' Harry told them.

'You have to accept that Gryffindors and Slytherins are not made to get along!' Hermione insisted.

'Well we got along for years before coming to this school, and I'm not going to let social standards get in the way of our friendship.' Harry insisted. 'If you got to know her you'd know what I mean.'

'Well we don't have time for Slytherins,' Ron pouted.

'No, Ron, wait, he's right you know, we shouldn't judge her,' Hermione said. 'What we should do is trust that Harry's judgement wouldn't lead him to befriend someone who is like Malfoy, and that Caprice is really different.'

Ron preceded to make a noise of disgust. Hermione turned back to Harry.

'I might not like the girl, but you have your choice of friends.'

'You've gone crazy Hermione,' Ron shook his head, but he stopped arguing.

'So will you both come down the trapdoor with me and Caprice? I could really use your help, both of you.' Harry said.

Reluctantly, Hermione and Ron nodded their heads.

In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment. Yet the days crept by and there was still no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.

Harry did the best he could on his exams, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his forehead which had been bothering him ever since his trip to the forest. Neville thought Harry had a bad case of exam nerves because Harry couldn't sleep, but the truth was that Harry kept being woken by his old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it.

Ron and Hermione certainly didn't seem as worried about the stone as Harry did, but they were still scared by the idea that Voldemort could return. They were so busy with revision and exams that they had no time to worry about what Snape or anyone else might be up to.

The last exam for the Gryffindors was History of Magic, one hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldron and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put their quills down, Harry couldn't help cheering with the rest.

'That was easier than I thought it would be,' Hermione said as they walked out onto the grounds with the flock of students rushing away from exams. They wandered down by the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

'No more revision,' Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. 'You should look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet.' Harry was rubbing his forehead.

'I just wish I knew what this _means_!' He burst out angrily. 'My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this. I'm not ill, I think it's a warning… it means danger's coming.'

'Nah mate, it's probably your imagination,' Ron said, too relaxed to get worked up.

'The Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. We've never had proof that Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try again in a hurry.' Hermione said.

'And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down,' Ron added sleepily.

But Harry couldn't shake the feeling that there was something he'd forgotten to do, something important. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore, Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy… never… but -

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

'Where are you going?' Ron asked.

'I've just thought of something,' Harry said frantically, he had gone white. 'We've got to go and see Hagrid now,'

'Why?' Hermione panted as she tried to keep up with Harry's much longer strides than hers.

'Don't you think its odd that the one thing Hagrid wants most is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if its against Wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see this before?'

'What are you on about?' Ron asked, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds towards Hagrid's Hut, didn't reply.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his hut, his trousers and sleeves were rolled up and he was shelling peas into a large bowl. Harry was shocked to see Caprice was there, sitting cross-legged on the grass, talking to Hagrid.

'Hullo,' Hagrid said, seeing Harry, Ron and Hermione. Caprice spun around, and offered a small smile. Neither Gryffindor returned the gesture.

'Care to join us?' Caprice asked casually.

'No, we're in a hurry,' Harry answered quickly, and turned to Hagrid. 'I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?'

'Dunno,' Hagrid said casually. 'He wouldn't take his cloak off.' Ron, Harry and Hermione looked stunned. Caprice stared at each of them, confused.

'What's going on?' She asked. Harry ignored the question and continued to talk to Hagrid.

'What did you talk to him about? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?'

'Yeah… he asked what I did, an' I told him I was a gamekeeper here… he asked about the sort of creatures I look after… so I told him… an' I said what I'd always wanted was a dragon… an' then… I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buying me drinks… Lets see… yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted… but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn't want it ter go ter any old home… So I told him, after Fluffy a dragon'd be easy…'

'Did he seem interested in Fluffy?' Harry asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

'Well - yeh - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece of cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep -' Hagrid suddenly looked horrified, and Caprice's face dawned in realisation. 'I shouldn'ta told yeh that!' He blurted out. 'Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh going?'

Harry, Ron and Hermione had taken off, Caprice following close behind. None of them spoke until they reached the Entrance Hall, which seemed cold and gloomy after the grounds.

'We have to see Dumbledore,' Harry said. 'Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy and it was either Snape of Voldemort under that cloak - it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him.'

'Will you guys please explain what just happened?' Caprice asked, looking from Harry to Ron to Hermione, and back to Harry again.

'Hagrid told either Snape or Voldemort how to get past Fluffy while he was gambling for the dragon egg,' Harry quickly explained as they briskly walked to Dumbledore's office.

'What are you three doing inside?' It was Professor McGonagall, who, obviously, had not caught sight of Caprice. She slunk behind a suit of armour and stayed out of sight.

'We want to see Professor Dumbledore,' Hermione spoke out.

'Why?' She asked with an accusing tone.

'It's sort of secret,' Harry said timidly, at once he wished that he hadn't. Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

'Professor Dumbledore left half an hour ago,' She said coldly. 'He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once.'

'He's _gone_? _Now?_' Harry said frantically. 'Look, Professor, it's about the Philosopher's Stone -' Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that.

'How did you find out about that?'

'Professor, I think - I _know_ - that Sn - that someone's going to try to steal the stone,' Harry said.

'Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow, I don't know how you found out about the stone, but let me assure you, it is well protected and perfectly safe.' Professor McGonagall said. 'Now I suggest that you go back outside and enjoy the sunshine.' She walked off. They didn't go outside.

'It's tonight,' said Harry once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. 'Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way.' Caprice stepped out of hiding.

'Did you see the look on her face when you said about the -' Caprice immediately stopped talking. Harry, Ron and Hermione wheeled around to find Snape standing there.

'Good afternoon,' He said smoothly, then noticed Caprice. 'Why, might I ask, is a Slytherin hanging around three troublesome Gryffindor's _inside_ on a day like today?' Snape asked suspiciously.

'We were -' Harry began, with no idea what to say.

'You should be more careful,' Snape said. 'Hanging around like a bad smell, people will think you're up to something.'

They all turned to go outside, but Snape called Caprice back. She gave Harry a look that said she would be fine, and the three Gryffindors continued to go outside.

'I have a plan,' Harry said.

'What might that be?' Hermione asked.

'I'm going to try and get the stone before Snape does.' Harry told his friends.

'You're crazy!'

'You'll get expelled!' Hermione uttered.

'If Snape gets that stone, Voldemort will return, and there won't be a school to be expelled from!' Harry exclaimed. 'I'm going through that trapdoor tonight, and there's nothing either of you can say to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember? I'm not about to let him come back.'

'You're right, as usual,' Ron said.

'I'll use my invisibility cloak, it's just lucky I got it back.' Harry said.

'But will it cover all of us?' Hermione asked.

'All of us?'

'Oh come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?' Ron said.

'Of course not,' Hermione said briskly. 'How do you think you'd get the stone without us? I'd better go check in my books and see if there's anything useful in them.'

'But if we get caught, you two will get expelled as well as me and Caprice.' Harry warned.

'Oh, right, _Caprice_…' Ron muttered, clearly he had forgotten that she was also to go.

'Hush up Ron,' Hermione warned.

After dinner, the three Gryffindors sat in the common room nervously. No one spoke to them. Harry was used to being ignored by now, the Gryffindors had stopped talking to him after he and Neville had lost Gryffindor one hundred points. Hermione was skimming through her noted, hoping to find something that could be of use to them down the trap door.

'When are we meeting _her_?' Ron asked bitterly.

'You'd better start being more civil about Caprice,' Harry snapped nervously.

'Sorry mate.' Ron replied.

'We're meeting her at the third floor corridor at midnight.' Harry said. Slowly but surely, the common room emptied, and as the last Gryffindor, Lee Jordan, headed off to bed yawning, Ron turned back to Harry.

'You'd better go get the cloak, we'll put it on before we leave the common room, if Filch spots us wandering around, we'll be in so much trouble.'

Harry hurried upstairs, grabbing the cloak and the wooden flute Hagrid had given him for Christmas before hurrying back downstairs into the common room to find Hermione and Ron faced off with Neville.

'I'm not letting you go, you'll get Gryffindor in trouble again.' Neville said, with a shaky, but clear voice. Harry glanced up at the grandfather clock, ten minutes to midnight. He hated keeping Caprice waiting, and Snape could have already gone through the trapdoor.

'You don't understand, Neville. This is important.' Harry said, trying not to let his anger show through.

'I wont let you go out!' Neville rushed over to the portrait hole. 'I'll - I'll fight you!'

'Neville, don't be a fool!' Hermione said calmly.

'Don't be an idiot! Get away from that portrait hole!' Ron exploded.

'Don't you call me an idiot, I don't think you should be breaking any more school rules, and you're the ones who told me to stand up to people.' Neville said, his voice becoming more confident.

'Yes, but not to _us_, you don't know what you're doing!' Ron said in exasperation.

'Back down Neville,' Harry warned, taking a step forward. Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who hopped to safety.

'Go on then, try to hit me,' He raised his hands into puny fists.

'Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this.' Hermione said, stepping forward and raising her wand. '_Petrificus totalus_!'

Neville's body went rigid, his arms and legs snapped to his sides, and he fell flat on his back, stiff as a board.

'What have you done to him?' Harry whispered.

'It's the full body bind, oh Neville I'm so sorry.' Hermione whimpered.

'It's his own ruddy fault for standing in our way, now let's go save the world.' Ron said haughtily.

Caprice looked around the corner again, making sure Filch wasn't looming around. She was cold and nervous, hoping not to be found. Luckily, she wasn't. Harry, equipped with Ron and Hermione, showed up not long after midnight, and Hermione unlocked the door.

'Um, is it just me, or is that dog supposed to be asleep on the job?' Caprice whispered as they crept into the room. There was a harp magically playing by itself in the corner of the room.

'Dammit!' Harry cursed. 'Snape's already down there!'

The four of them opened the trapdoor using the large iron ring.

'You go first, Hermione.' Ron said nervously. Hermione's eyes widened.

'Are you kidding me?' She whined. 'I can't see a thing down there!'

'Oh bloody _brave _Gryffindors…' Caprice pushed past Ron and Hermione who were still bickering over who would go first. She graciously jumped down the trapdoor, watched by three wide-eyed, staring Gryffindors. A loud thud could be heard as Caprice hit what appeared to be the bottom.

'Are you okay?' Harry called down.

'I'm fine, what are you all waiting for?' Came the response. Harry immediately jumped down after Caprice, not wanting to wait for something bad to happen to her. He was closely followed by Hermione, and finally, Ron.

'What's this?' Harry asked, landing on something soft.

'It's a plant.' Caprice answered. 'Ahhh!' She screamed. 'It's got me!'

'Oh! Me too!' Harry whined. 'Get out you two!' Harry shouted at Ron and Hermione, who stumbled off to the side, away from the nasty plant.

'It's devil's snare!' Hermione mused. 'I read something about this plant! Oh… what was it!'

'Think fast Hermione!' Caprice yelled, her entire body almost covered by the plant.

'No need to rush me, I'm trying!' Hermione snapped back.

'Hurry up, I can't breathe!' Harry gasped, wrestling with the plant as it curled around his waist.

'Devil's snare… devil's snare… _what_ did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp -'

'So light a fire you idiot!' Caprice choked.

'Yes, of course, but… there's no wood!' Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

'_Have you gone mad?_' Ron bellowed from beside her, causing Hermione to cover her ears. 'Are you a witch or not?'

'Oh, right!' Hermione shot a flame of fire at the plant through the tip of her wand. In a matter of seconds, Harry and Caprice fell free as the plant cringed away from the warm flames.

'Owch!' Caprice yelped as the flames singed her robes.

'That was for calling me an idiot.' Hermione said, folding her arms across her chest. Caprice shot her a glare, which was returned from Hermione. Harry stepped between the two.

'Let's get going, Snape could already have the stone by now.

I cut this chapter into two, because otherwise it would be way too long. The next chapter won't be far away.

Gryffindor Gal


	20. Not Snape?

Reality Check

- Here's the next chapter. -

****

Chapter 20 - Not Snape?

The four of them walked in silence down the dark tunnel lined with stones. The passageway sloped gently downwards, and Harry was reminded of Gringotts.

'Can you hear something?' Ron whispered as the passage grew to an end. There was a large, wooden door up ahead, and a soft rustling and clinking sound came from the other side.

'Do you think it's a ghost?' Caprice asked timidly.

'_Now_ she's scared.' Hermione muttered sarcastically, earning herself a glare from Harry.

'It sounds like wings to me,' Ron murmured. Harry stepped forward and threw the door open. They entered a brightly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. The room was filled with small, jewel bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy, wooden door.

'Do you guys think those birds will attack us if we try to cross the room?' Caprice asked.

'Probably,' Harry answered. 'They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once… well, there's nothing for it… I'll run.'

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms and sprinted across the room. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched. Harry pulled on the handle, but it was locked.

'Come on,' Harry called out to his friends on the other side of the chamber. The three of them ran across the room to Harry. They all tugged at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.

'Now what?' Ron said exasperated.

'Those birds… they can't just be here for decoration, maybe they have something to do with opening the door -' Caprice said, eyes on the flapping birds up above. The Gryffindors turned their gaze to the birds, soaring overhead, glittering - _glittering_?

'Those aren't birds… they're keys!' Harry cried suddenly. He looked around the chamber, and sure enough, against the wall were two broomsticks. 'We've got to catch the key to that door!' Harry said, grabbing a broomstick for himself, and tossing one to Caprice.

'Right, let's catch us a key, Harry.' Caprice said as she mounted her broom. Ron examined the lock on the door.

'Look for a big, old fashioned one, probably silver, like the handle.' He called over to Harry and Caprice, who kicked off the ground into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched at the keys, but they were harder to catch than they had thought. The enchanted keys darted and swerved away from Harry and Caprice's reach.

'Look!' Harry pointed. 'There's a key, and it has a broken wing, it _must _be the one! Snape must have already used it.' There was a large, silver key with bright blue wings, one wing was broken.

'I'm all over it.' Caprice called back, cornering the large key. Harry came up to face the key with Caprice, and the two of them carefully backed it into the corner of the room.

'One, two, three!' Harry yelled, and the both of them charged at the key, leaving no where for it to go other than one of their hands. Harry snatched it out of the air, earning a cheer from Ron and Hermione, watching from below. The two friends glided back down to Ron and Hermione, presenting Hermione with the squirming key. She proudly unlocked the door and they advanced into the next room.

The room was large and pitch black. They could feel the eeriness of the place. As they walked forward, the room sprung to life, small barrels of fire lighting up the room.

'Are we in a graveyard?' Caprice asked nervously.

'No,' Ron said walking around the large stone statues. 'It's a chessboard!'

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber were the white pieces. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Caprice shivered slightly, the towering white chessmen had no faces.

'Now what?' Harry asked.

'It's obvious, isn't it?' Ron said, pacing slightly, stroking his chin. 'We've got to play our way across.'

Behind the white pieces they could see another door.

'How?' Caprice asked.

'I reckon we'll have to play as chess pieces.' Ron replied. 'Now don't be offended or anything, but Harry and Hermione, you aren't very good at chess -'

'I'm good, I could beat you anyday.' Caprice cut in.

'- so Harry, you take the place of that bishop, Hermione you take the place of the castle, Caprice -'

'I'll be the queen,' Caprice said, taking charge of her own destiny.

'- and I'm going to be a knight.' Ron finally finished his sentence. The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because a knight, castle, bishop and the black queen turned their backs on the chessboard and left their empty squares to be filled.

'White always plays first in chess, yes look.' Ron pointed across the board at a white pawn who had taken the first move.

Ron began to direct the black pieces, they moved to wherever he told them to. Harry's knee's started to tremble, _what if they lost?_

'Harry, move four squares diagonally to the right.'

Surprisingly, Caprice squashed her Slytherin pride and took orders from Ron. After the four first years witnessed a rather brutal sacrifice from the black team ('Had to let that happen…' said Ron), they were rather terrified. Every time one of their men was lost, the white players showed no mercy. Soon there was a pile of limp black pieces slumped along the wall. Ron darted around taking just as many white pieces as there were black, with some help from Caprice.

'We're nearly there, let me think… let me think…' Ron muttered. The white queen turned her blank face towards him. 'Yes,' Ron said softly, 'it's the only way, I've got to be taken.'

'_NO!_' Harry and Hermione both shouted in unison. Caprice looked awkwardly at Ron, willing him not to sacrifice himself.

'That's chess, you've got to make some sacrifices!' Ron snapped. 'I take one move and she'll take me - that leaves you free to checkmate the king Harry.'

'But -'

'Do you want to stop Snape or not?'

'Ron -'

'Look, if you don't hurry up he'll already have the stone!' Ron shouted. There was nothing else for it.

'Ready?' Ron called, his face pale but determined. 'Here I go - now don't hang around once you've won.'

He stepped forward and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard on the head with her stone arm and he crashed to the ground. Hermione and Caprice screamed, but remained on their squares as Ron was dragged off the board. He looked as if he'd been knocked out. Shaking, Harry moved three squares to the left.

'Checkmate.'

The black king threw down his sword. As soon as it hit the ground, Hermione, Harry and Caprice rushed to Ron's side.

Caprice bravely looked up at Harry.

'Go, I'll stay here with Ron.' She said.

'What? If anyone should stay with Ron it should be me!' Hermione argued.

'No time for arguments Granger!' Caprice snapped. 'You're the smartest witch in our grade, Harry could still need you before the end!' Hermione was baffled. 'Go!' Caprice shouted. Harry and Hermione ran through the open doors just in time before they closed.

'What do you reckon's coming next?' Harry asked her as they walked through yet another passageway.

'Well, we've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare - Flitwick must've put charms on the keys - McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive - that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's…' Hermione ticked off the teachers on her fingers. They reached another door. Harry pushed it open. Immediately their nostrils filled with a putrid stench.

'Oh merlin thank heavens we didn't have to face that thing!' Hermione said, holding her robe over her nose as she stared at a huge troll lying flat on the ground.

'Let's get out of here, I can't breathe.' Harry nodded in agreement and they crossed the room to the door. He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in that room, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

'Snape's, what do we have to do?' Harry said. They stepped further into the room and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't an ordinary fire either, it was bright purple. Black flames shot up in the doorway leading forwards. They were trapped.

'Look!' Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry looked over her shoulder to read it.

__

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,

One amongst us seven will let you move ahead,

Another will transport the drinker back instead,

Two amongst us hold only nettle wine,

Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,

To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:

First, however slyly the poison tries to hide

You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;

Second, different are those who stand at either end,

But if you would move onwards , neither are your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,

Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right

Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.

'It's logic! Just give me a few minutes,' Hermione read and re-read the parchment several times, occasionally muttering outloud to herself. At last she clapped her hands.

'What?' Harry asked.

'Got it, the smallest bottle will take us forward, and this bottle will take us back.' Hermione said picking the two bottles from their position.

'There's barely enough for one person in that bottle let alone the both of us!' Harry said, eyeing the small bottle. 'You'd better take this one, go back, find Ron and Caprice and get Dumbledore as soon as you can!'

'But,'

'I can take it from here, thank you for your help.' Harry took the small bottle and gulped its contents. With one last look at Hermione, he stepped through the black flames. He saw the black flames licking his body, but he could not feel them. For a moment he could see nothing but black fire, then he was out on the other side - in the last chamber.

There was already someone there - but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort.

---------------------------------------------------

- Who would've guessed it wasn't Snape? Lol… no surprises here… sorry! This story's almost over! Sad to say… hope you all liked this very very AU chapter… I appologise for this story being so AU and repetitive to the book. -

- Gryffindor Gal -


	21. The Man With Two Faces

Realty Check

- Yes, hate me, I don't care. I know I haven't written anything in so long, infact, it's been so long that I even forgot how I format my own chapters. Oh well, you get that. My boredom has returned my state of mind to when I used to write, and I figured I'd pick up where I left off. See, over the past year I've gotten a life! I never used to have one, but now I do so there you go. Well, you're probably all wondering how this little AU story ends… -

****

Chapter 21 - The Man With Two Faces

The small man was standing with his back to Harry. He was facing the Mirror of Erised. Harry immediately recognised his turban, the man was Professor Quirrell. For once, Harry felt entirely alone.

'You!' Harry gasped. Quirrell spun around with a sly grin on his face.

'Yes, me. I wondered when I'd be meeting you here Potter,' Quirrell sneered.

'But I thought - Snape -'

'Severus?' Quirrell laughed in such a way that made Harry feel even more uneasy. It wasn't his regular quivering laugh, but a cold and sharp one. 'Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?'

Harry couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.

'But Snape tried to kill me!'

'No, no, no, _I _tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I would have gotten you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter-curse, trying to save you.'

'Snape was trying to _save _me?'

'Of course. Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he _did _make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight.'

Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves around Harry.

'You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school at Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the stone.'

'Wait a minute… _you _let the troll in?' Harry was flabbergasted.

'Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls - you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight for the third floor to head me off - and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's head off properly.' Quirrell said. 'Now wait quietly, Potter, I need to examine this interesting mirror.'

Quirrell paced around the Mirror of Erised a few times, muttering to himself about how he saw himself presenting the stone to his master. Harry thought he was about to give up when…

'Use the boy… use the boy…'

Harry looked around, desperately wondering where the voice had come from, but then he realised… it was coming from Quirrell's turban.

--

'I _have _to get in, Hermione, you simply _don't _understand! For a smart witch, you have no grasp on the friendship Harry and I have!'

Caprice ran at the door again, lowering her shoulder as she barged against it. Hermione was knelt beside Ron.

'Caprice, I told you, the door is sealed and will not open. I have a fair understanding of your friendship with Harry, but -' At that moment, Caprice turned and glared at Hermione.

'You have no idea!' She yelled. 'None at all!' Hermione was shocked. Ron stirred.

'What?' Hermione asked meekly.

'You don't know what it was like for us, growing up in that horrible muggle school! We were so heavily picked on because of our glasses, and that stupid fat cousin of Harry. You can have no possible grasp on the situation! We had _no one_ but eachother! I _cannot _and _will not _stand by and do nothing while he is in there up against _Voldemort_!' Caprice roared. Hermione said nothing, and the Slytherin slammed herself against the door once more.

'I knew it was some kind of mistake to bring you down here.' Hermione muttered. Caprice snapped her head towards the girl.

'What?' She growled.

'We've done all we can do, we helped Harry get to _You-Know-Who_, and now the rest is up to him.'

'That's not fair! Why should he have to face Voldemort alone?' Caprice yelled.

'He is a powerful wizard! More so than all of us three put together! We can do nothing to help him against _You-Know-Who_, only hinder him.' Hermione sighed.

'Stop being such a pig-headed bitch!' Caprice spat.

'No wonder you're a Slytherin…' Hermione muttered, and turned her full attention to Ron. Caprice glared at Hermione with utter hatred in her eyes, and then turned back to the door.

--

Quirrell turned to Harry.

'Of course, Potter, come here.' He clapped his hands and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry slowly got to his feet. 'Come here.' Quirrell repeated, 'Look in the mirror and tell me what you see.'

Harry walked slowly towards the mirror. _I must lie,_ he thought desperately. _I must look and lie about what I see, that is all._

Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror and opened them again. He saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood red stone. It winked and put the stone back into the pocket - and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow - incredibly - _he'd gotten the stone._

'Well,' Quirrell said impatiently. 'What do you see?'

Harry screwed up his courage. 'I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore, I - I've won the house cup for Gryffindor.'

'He lies… he lies…' It was that voice again. It made Harry's blood run cold.

'Potter, come back here!' Quirrell shouted. 'Tell me the truth! What did you see?'

The high pitched voice spoke again. 'Let me speak to him… face to face…'

'Master, you are not strong enough,' Quirrell argued.

'I am strong enough… for this…'

Harry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. The turban fell away, Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it, and then he began to turn around. Where there should have been the back of Quirrell's head, there was a face. The most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

'Harry Potter…' It whispered.

Harry tried to step backwards, but his legs wouldn't move.

'See what I have become?' The face said. 'Mere shadow and vapour… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds… Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest… and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own… now… why don't you give me that stone in your pocket?'

So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs and he stumbled backwards.

'Don't be a fool,' Snarled the face. 'Better save your own life and join me… or you'll meet the same end as your parents… they died begging for mercy…'

'_Liar!_' Harry shouted suddenly. Quirrell was walking backwards at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The face was now smiling.

'How touching…' It hissed. 'I always value bravery… yes, boy, your parents were brave… I killed your father first and he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you… now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.'

'_Never!_' Harry sprang towards the flame door, but Voldemort screamed, 'SEIZE HIM!'

The next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hands close on his wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him.

The pain in his head had lessened - he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers - they were blistering before his eyes.

'Seize him! SEIZE HIM!' Shrieked Voldemort again and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clear off his feet, landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck - Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.

'Master, I cannot hold him - my hands - my hands!'

And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms - Harry could see they looked burnt, raw, red and shiny.

'Then kill him, fool, and be done!' Screeched Voldemort. Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face -

'AAAARGH!' Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering too, and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain - his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.

Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off - the pain in Harry's head was building - he couldn't see - he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of 'KILL HIM! KILL HIM!' and other voices, maybe only in Harry's head, crying, 'Harry! Harry!'

He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down… down… down…

--

Dumbledore rushed through the trapdoor, using his wand to abolish all the different curses and charms protecting the Stone. He came to Hermione, Ron and Caprice, noticing Caprice was slamming her broken body against the sealed door.

'Miss Jenkins, if you would please stop doing that before you inflict some serious damage on yourself.' Dumbledore said as he rushed past, unlocking the door in a split second. Caprice wanted to collapse, she wanted to crawl up and sleep, but she knew that Harry was on the other side, waiting for her. She rushed in behind Dumbledore, Hermione staying with Ron.

'Harry! Harry!' Caprice yelled out as she rushed onto the scene of Professor Quirrell attacking Harry. Quirrell had his turban off, and there was a pasty white face on the back of his head shouting out 'KILL HIM!'

Caprice noticed Quirrell screaming in pain, and Harry barely conscious.

'Harry!' Caprice screamed. Dumbledore raced over and wrenched Quirrell's arm from Harry's grip. Voldemort released himself from Quirrell's body and his misty form fled. Caprice stood terrified, but she regained herself quickly and rushed to Harry's side.

--

The whole three days Harry was in the hospital wing, Caprice left his side only to eat and use the bathroom. She slept in the chair next to his bed, hoping to be there when he awoke. Hermione wandered in on the second day with Ron. Caprice glared at the two, not wanting them anywhere near Harry. Ron looked from Hermione, to Caprice and back to Hermione, wondering what had gone on between the girls while he was unconscious.

'Caprice -' Hermione began, but she was cut off.

'He doesn't want you here.' Caprice snarled.

'Look,' Hermione said, beginning to get quite annoyed with the girl. 'We're his friends too, and although we understand that you are his closest friend who was there for him in his younger years, we are entitled to his friendship as well.' Ron caught on.

'Just because you were the only friend he had back in the muggle school, doesn't mean that you're the only friend he has here.' Ron said. 'Don't you think it's better that Harry has more friends, and less people who pick on him?'

Caprice said nothing, but the glare on her face said plainly; 'I don't want to share.'

Hermione sighed. 'Look, Caprice, you have to stop _protecting _him from us. We aren't the people who you have to worry about. I mean, look at _your _friends, people like Draco Malfoy, _he's_ Harry's real enemy, not us.'

Still, Caprice kept her silence. Ron and Hermione placed their cards, chocolates and flowers around Harry's bedside table.

'Caprice, we did nothing to you, why are you treating us as though we're scum?' Ron asked, demanding an answer from the Slytherin.

'You are Gryffindors -'

'SO IS HARRY!' Hermione roared. Ron was shocked, he had never seen her this enraged. 'If you're going to pull the whole "Slytherins and Gryffindors are sworn enemies" thing, then you _can't_ be Harry's friend, because he, like us, is a Gryffindor!' Hermione's fists were clenched together in tight balls by her sides. Caprice jerked up and had her wand at Hermione's throat.

'Don't make me do it, _witch_.' Caprice growled in a low voice. Ron tugged at Hermione's arm.

'Come on, Hermione. Let's go.' He said slowly, his voice shaky with fear at what Caprice might do.

--

Caprice was asleep beside Harry when he woke. She heard him stir in her subconscious state, and she woke in a flash, handing him his glasses.

'Harry,' She said gently. 'How are you feeling?' Harry groaned.

'The Stone! He has the Stone! Quirrell…'

'Shh…' Caprice soothed. 'It's okay, Professor Dumbledore arrived back in time, and he destroyed the Stone. You're lucky you were knocked out, Voldemort fled…' Caprice told him.

'And Quirrell?'

'He died Harry.'

Dumbledore must have heard the voices, because at that moment, he entered the hospital wing. For the first time in the three days, Caprice felt it best to leave Harry's side. She left the hospital wing to be greeted by her fellow Slytherins, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. She didn't like the look on Draco's face.

'What is the ultimate betrayal, I wonder…' Draco said in a voice which scared Caprice.

'What are you talking about, Malfoy?' Caprice asked.

'Oh don't play games with me, Jenkins, you know _exactly _what I'm talking about.' Malfoy spat. 'Who in this school _doesn't _know that the Slytherin has been at the bedside of the sick Gryffindor for three days straight?'

'You say it like it's a bad thing.' Caprice said with no expression in her voice.

'Oh Jenkins, you have much to understand my dear, Slytherins have pride, we do not associate ourselves with lowly Gryffindors.' Draco spat.

'What's wrong with Gryffindors?' Caprice argued.

'Shut up!' Draco hissed. 'You are no longer considered a true Slytherin, I -'

'Leave her alone, Malfoy.' The four Slytherins snapped their heads to see who had spoken. It was Blaise Zabini, and with him was Theodore Nott, fellow Slytherins. Neither of the boys had really been in the tight Slytherin inner circle.

'What do you know, Zabini?' Draco said coldly.

'I know that you have no right to act like the leader of Slytherin House. We have free wills, and we can associate with whom ever we like, in which ever House. You do not own our spirits! You cannot control us!' Blaise said, stepping up beside Caprice. Theodore stepped on her other side. At that precise moment, Hermione and Ron walked around the corner. They stopped dead in their tracks, watching the scene before them.

'Fine, don't follow my lead, disgrace Slytherin House, but let me assure you, you three will be outcasted, looked down upon, treated at Hufflepuff scum, never accepted into Slytherin. You will be Slytherins only by label, never will you be truly Slytherins. You are freaks.'

'Good! I wouldn't want to be one of your minions, or as you call them, _true Slytherins_, anyway!' Caprice yelled to Draco's retreating form. He didn't turn around or make any gesture of response. Caprice, Theodore and Blaise all wore hatred on their faces as they watched Draco, Crabbe and Goyle walk off.

'Good grief,' Hermione whispered to Ron. Caprice must have noticed their presence. She turned around to face the two Gryffindors.

'Don't you two go getting any ideas that I'm going to be nice to you now.' She hissed, and walked away, Theodore and Blaise following.

'Now she has her own fan club.' Ron said dryly.

'So it would seem.' Hermione replied.

--

Harry had somehow allowed Madam Pomphrey to release him from the hospital wing in time for the end of term feast. Dumbledore had gone into vast explanation of what had gone on that night down the trapdoor, but Caprice wasn't interested. She was only concerned that Harry was safe and well. So Harry walked to the Great Hall with Hermione and Ron. The whole school now knew that Caprice, Theodore and Blaise were Slytherin outcasts, which was relieving for Caprice who could now talk to Harry whenever she pleased, without worrying about whether anyone would see her.

The two of them still kept their rings, incase they needed to contact eachother at night after dark.

Caprice, Theodore and Blaise sat well away from their housemates at the Slytherin Table during the end of year feast. The Great Hall was covered in Green and Silver decorations to celebrate Slytherin's winning of the House Cup for the seventh year in a row. Caprice wondered how the nasty Slytherins managed winning the cup. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

'Another year gone!' Dumbledore said cheerfully. 'And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink out teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…'

Some people laughed at this.

'Now, as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third place, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two, Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy two.'

A loud cheer rose up from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Draco banging his goblet on the table, and then he saw Caprice and her two friends sitting there looking bored while their housemates celebrated.

'Yes, yes, well done Slytherin,' Dumbledore said. 'However, recent events must be taken into account.'

The room was very still. The Slytherin's smiles faded a little.

'Ahem,' said Dumbledore. 'I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… first - to Mr Ronald Weasley…'

Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with bad sunburn.

'… for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has ever seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.'

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other Prefects, 'My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!'

At last, there was silence again. Draco scowled.

'Second - to Miss Hermione Granger … for the cool use of logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor House fifty points.'

Hermione buried her face in her arms; Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves - they were a hundred points up!

'Third - to Mr Harry Potter…' Said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. '… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House sixty points.'

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points - exactly the same as Slytherin. They had drawn for the House Cup - if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point…

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

'Fourth, to Miss Caprice Jenkins -'

'NO!' Caprice stood in her seat, seeing where this was going. All eyes fell on the small girl with glasses and brown hair. She suddenly felt so intimidated and insignificant. 'Um, Professor,' She said meekly, looking at Dumbledore. 'I didn't do anything to merit points for my house, not really.'

Every Slytherin except for Blaise and Theodore were glaring at Caprice with such hatred that the tension was unbearable, but still, Caprice stood her ground. Dumbledore gazed down at her over his half moon shaped glasses.

'Well, I suppose if Caprice believes she did nothing to merit points, that leaves me with my last batch of points to award. There are many forms of courage, it takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but just as much to stand up to your friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom.'

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind curse put on him. Many Slytherins were still glaring at Caprice as she tried to shrink down inbetween Theodore and Blaise.

'Which means,' Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for ever Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, 'We need a little change of decoration.'

Dumbledore clapped his hands, and in an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold. The huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking McGonagall's hand with a horrible forced smile. He caught Harry's eye and Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings towards him hadn't changed one jot. This didn't worry Harry. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year.

It was the best evening of Harry's life, better than winning Quidditch or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls… we would ever, ever forget that night.

Caprice came to see Harry after the students had all piled out of the Great Hall. She was alone, without Theodore and Blaise. Harry motioned to Ron and Hermione to leave, and they left the two friends alone.

'You didn't have to do that.' Harry said.

'Yes I did. You didn't really think I would let Slytherin win the House Cup if I could help it, did you?' Caprice said with a smile. Harry wrapped his best friend in a hug. When they broke apart, Caprice was crying.

'Don't be sad Caprice,' Harry said, wiping her tears away with his thumb. 'We have the whole summer together, and if the Dursleys try and stop us from hanging out, I'll threaten them with magic!'

'Don't be silly, you aren't allowed to use magic outside school.' Caprice said.

'Ahh, but the Dursleys don't know that!' Harry replied slyly.

'Oh you big idiot!' Caprice smacked him on the chest, and then she turned serious. 'I'll miss you on the train!'

'What do you mean, you don't have to sit with Malfoy, so why don't you sit with my friends & I?'

'Erm, well, your friends and I really don't get along… I'm sorry Harry, but that's just how things have worked out. I'll never get along with Ron and Hermione.' Caprice said.

'Oh.' Was all Harry could say.

'Don't worry… we're still friends, and it shouldn't matter whether I'm friends with them or not.'

'Yeah,' Harry smiled. 'You're right! Now get lost!' Caprice smiled and hugged Harry once more before heading down the stairs to the Slytherin Dungeons.

--

Before they all knew it, the students of Hogwarts were on the train, headed home to London. It seemed like such a short journey before the train pulled into platform nine and three quarters. It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticked barrier letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract muggle attention by all bursting out a solid wall at once.

'You must come and stay this summer.' Said Ron. 'Both of you - I'll send an owl.'

'Oh, I don't know Ron, I was hoping to spend this summer with Caprice.' Harry said.

'Well…' Ron paused, and sighed heavily. He knew that if he was to be friends with Harry, the effort would have to be made. 'Bring Caprice.'

'Thanks!' Harry hugged Ron, but then stepped back quickly, feeling awkward. As they all emerged from the platform, Harry scanned the station for his relatives. They were nowhere to be seen. Just as he was giving up, Caprice grabbed his arm and led him to her parents.

'You're coming back home with us.' She said.

'Okay, just give me a minute.' Harry headed back to Ron and Hermione.

'Going so soon?' Hermione asked, eyeing Caprice.

'I'll see you both over the summer,' Harry said.

'I hope you have a good holidays Harry,' Hermione told him.

'Oh I will,' said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin which was spread across his face. 'They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…'

With that, Harry turned away from his friends, and went with Caprice.

-----------------------------------------------------

- The end? Yeah, I've never finished a story before, I'll have to say this is the first one. I regret that it has taken me so long, but that's what happens I suppose. I hope everyone enjoyed reading this, although there wasn't much storyline different to the actual book. I'm a little sad that its over, but also a little relieved. Now I have one less story to worry about finishing. That sounds horrible, but oh well. Umm, if anyone wants me to continue the storyline with the second book just give a review or something. That's about it! Bye! -

- Gryffindor Gal -


End file.
